The Biblical Herbal March 2016 Sample

The Biblical Herbal

Publisher & EditorTamra Speakman, Biblical Herbalist

admin@thebibl icalherbal.com

www.thebibl icalherbal.com

Editorial StaffSara Davis, Christian Herbalist

Sam Steffens, Herbalist & Midwife

Karen Stephenson, Master Naturalist

Chris Dalziel, Herbalist & Author

Development & DesignRichard Parker, Developer & Designer

flyingfoxdev.com

Welcome From Tamra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

HolySchtick Mindset Change:

Passing Over From Orthodox to Herbal Medicine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Herbs for Kids:

Stop the Sneezing: How to Cope with Children’s Seasonal Allergies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Aromatherapy:

Three Common Essential Oil Myths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

In The Garden:

Growing and Using Artichoke, Cynara scolymus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Medicinal Teas:

Returning to the Old Paths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Herbal Safety and Myth busting:

An Overview of Herbal Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Materia Medica:

The Bitter Herbs of Passover – Horseradish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Herbal Medicine Making and Formulating:

Frankincense-A Gift from the Magi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Wildcrafting and Survival Herbalism:

The Fine Art of Wildcrafting & Renewing Tradition in a modern World. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Herbs of The Bible:

Hyssop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Herbs for Health Issues and Body Systems:

Adaptogens and Tonics, Our Helpers for Such a Time as This . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Women’s Wellness:

Restoring The Use of Herbs and Midwifery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Recipes and Remedies:

Allergy Relief Pasti l le Recipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Arnica Balm Recipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

How to Make Prepared Horseradish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Blue Hyssop Glycerite Recipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Disclaimer:The Biblical Herbal is committed to excellence, we in no way provide any guarantee of the accuracy, timeliness,performance, completeness or suitabil ity of the information and materials found or offered in this magazine. Allinformation is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose, treat, or prescribe, nor is it meant to replace alicensed physician or caregiver. Articles, art, photos, videos, media, found on the website or within The Biblical Herbalmagazine are copyrighted. You may not copy, sell , or distribute them in downloadable or printed form outside of yourfamily use. Publication of an article in this magazine does equal endorsement of the teachings, and doctrine of theauthor. Full Terms and Conditions can be found at: http: //thebibl icalherbal.com/tos

Advertise With Us:The Biblical Herbal E-Magazine offers a limited number of advertising spaces for businesses, and ministries that fit withour overall theme. Types of companies we wil l consider are herbal product companies, essential oi ls companies, healthauthors, homeschool health products, natural foods, herb schools, and exercise products. I f you have a product notl isted that you feel may benefit from advertising with us feel free to contact us. We do not accept multi level marketingcompanies. You can find our Media kit here: http: //bit. ly/TBHMediaPack

Affi l iate DisclaimerThe advertisements found in The Biblical Herbal for Bulk Herb Store and Herbal Academy of New England are affi l iatel inks. I , Tamra Speakman earn a small portion of purchases you make via these links. This does not affect your price inanyway.

Copyright © The Biblical Herbal 2016

3

Shalom and welcome to the first electronic issue of The Biblical Herbal. As a believer and herbalist I see the rich

herbal educational materials that are available however, there is very little available with a Biblical focus. As magazine

publisher my heart's desire is to produce an herbal resource for the people of God that would start us on the path of

restoration of ancient Bibl ical herbal ways. My personal faith is that of a Messianic genti le however, my desire is to

produce a magazine that can be read and cherished by Jewish, genti le, Messianic, and Christian people alike. While

we do not have an abundance of information on the early Bibl ical use of herbs for health, we do know that God

created plants and herbs as provision for mankind.

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the

earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth

man's heart. Psalm 104:14-15 (KJV)

At The Biblical Herbal our desire is to be a light to the people of God by restoring this knowledge of His healing herbs

in creation. Bringing wellness deeply rooted in the word of God. The e-magazine wil l have articles to speak to the

housewife and mom trying to care for her family, as well as for those who desire advanced academic and accurate

knowledge of herbs.

As we begin down this path, we start The Biblical Herbal as a quarterly downloadable pdf, with the vision of future

expansion. The overall theme of the magazine is therefore Restoration. The quarterly magazine wil l also be loosely

themed around the Biblical calendar and Holy days. For this first Spring issue our focus is deliverance, and Passover.

As you read you wil l see that our contributors come from a multitude of denominations, herbal education, health

backgrounds, and writings styles. Yet this diversity is brought together in unity with our common goal of sharing

Bibl ical herbalism with others. I pray this first issue of The Biblical Herbal wil l open your eyes and heart to the beautiful

world of God's herbal creation!

Tamra Speakman, Bibl ical Herbalist and Publisher

Welcome From Tamra

"While the use of herbs in America has been overshadowed bydependence on modern medications the last 100 years, 75% of the world'spopulation still rely primarily upon traditional healing practices, most of

which is herbal medicine. "American Herbalist Guild- Herbal Medicine Fundamentals

But I know that my Redeemer lives, that in the end he will

rise on the dust; so that after my skin has been thus

destroyed, then even without my flesh, I will see God.

I will see him for myself, my eyes, not someone else’s,

will behold him. My heart grows weak inside me!

Job 19:25-27 (CJB)

As a teen, I decided to get out of school early and go to

nursing school. I became a Licensed Vocational Nurse at

age 18. Nursing was natural to me, and I felt I had found

my call ing. I worked in multiple clinical and home care

environments for over 10 years unti l I became very il l . As

more symptoms developed, I saw more specialists

without receiving answers, or solutions. At the depths of

my il lness, I had over a dozen different chronic diagnoses

including multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia. I was on

over 15 medications. I developed a severe gait and

tremor disorder, and I could not walk without the

assistance of a cane or wheelchair. I went long periods

without leaving my home while spending the day laying

on the couch.

In the midst of all of this chronic i l lness, at age 33, I was

diagnosed with cancer and given a 40% chance of

survival with chemotherapy, radiation, and radiation

implants. My mom had always shared with me a healthy

lifestyle, and vitamins, therefore, it would have been

natural for me to seek out alternative medications.

However, already being overwhelmed financially, and

physically, I chose to go forward with the doctor’s

suggestions.

After undergoing three months of intense cancer

treatment the cancer was considered in remission and

never returned. However my body was overwhelmed with

this treatment. I began occupational and physical therapy

to help heal and strengthen my muscles. Unfortunately,

my body took a turn for the worse and I developed more

symptoms, tremors, spasticity, and severe seizures daily.

Through all of this i l lness, I did have a few good doctors

and nurses but the majority of my experience with

orthodox medicine was a tragic failure. The career I had

so fallen in love with and felt at home in had failed me

miserably. I was treated as if I was a disease instead of a

person, I felt I received very little hope or respect.

Through all of this, I felt assured that God promised me

healing, which I prayed daily to receive. Nine years ago

as I sat in my living room praying I experienced a healing

miracle. Within six weeks I was off all medications,

including seizure medication. That day was the last time I

used a cane or wheelchair.

God had impressed upon my spirit that I was very weak

and toxic, and the road to wellness had not ended yet. I

knew that I needed to change my diet and lifestyle.

Though I had always studied health, my studies became

focused on alternative therapies. I went on a raw food diet

for six months and then slowly added back in organic

cooked foods including organic, and grass fed meats. I

was able to determine foods that I did not tolerate and

eliminate those from my diet.

After a year, I began using herbal medicines to help

restore my body and assist with my hormone imbalance

from radiation-induced menopause. I then began official

studies for herbalism and holistic wellness. Through all of

this, I realized there was a better way to health. While I

am not against using orthodox medicine when needed, I

came to realize that we as the people of God, need to

search out His creation to encourage our bodies to heal

themselves naturally.

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for

the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the

earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil

to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth

man's heart. Psalm 104:14-15 (KJV)

The beauty of herbalism and much of alternative medicine

is that it works with the whole body, mind, and spirit to

help bring about natural wellness. Instead of bombarding

our bodies with medications, and treatments that can

result in side effects, when used correctly, herbal

medicine can safely bring restoration and nourishment.

Like all of us, my body is not perfect, and because it has

gone through a lot in it's 45 years I have to careful ly care

for myself. I do this using God's great creation, sunshine,

movement, herbal medicine, and whole foods. However,

the depth of i l lness I had in the past has never returned. I

have remained medication free for all these years, and I

do my best to only seek out care from naturopathic,

chiropractic, or herbal medicine. I now share the herbal

knowledge with others via consultations through Shatul

and now with The Biblical Herbal E-Magazine.

HolySchtick Mindset Change

Continued on next page. . .

Passing Over From Orthodox to Herbal Medicine.By Tamra Speakman of Shatul Wellness

44

Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in

the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with

the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of

the door of his house until the morning. Exodus

12:22(ESV) Hyssop must have been a very common

plant, easily obtained and abundant enough to supply

each household so as to obey this command.

There has been much division of opinions over the

Bibl ical herb Hyssop. Hyssopus officinalis is a branching

shrub belonging to Labiatae family, grown throughout

Europe and the Middle East. But some feel this is not the

same as the hyssop of the Bible. The wisdom of Solomon

gives us some hint. 'He spoke of trees, from the cedar

that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall’

in 1 Kings 4:33( ESV). While there are numerous herbs

that grow on walls, it is commonly held that the wall

spoken of here is the Western Wall, the only remaining

part of the Temple in Jerusalem. Indeed there are pictures

of this plant growing there even to this day! This makes

total sense due to the voluminous amounts of the herb

used in the practices conducted at this site, daily it would

have been required and logic says that it would have

been growing all around the area of the temple.

However, others contend that the plant referred to here is

Capparis spinosa which grows in abundance on the walls

within Jerusalem and it is commonly found in dry, stony

places as well as in deserts. Another opinion is that the

Bibl ical hyssop comes from Origanum majorana, a kind of

Marjoram.[1] To complicate matters, John in 19:29 (ESV)

says, ‘so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a

hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. ’ From this

description, it is possible that none of the above

mentioned plants fit as none of these would be tall

enough to reach Christ on the cross.

For our purposes within this article, we are going to agree

that the plant mentioned as hyssop is indeed the true

form, Hyssopus officinalis. The LORD has extremely high

standards for hygiene as laid down by the law in the

Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). These were

inscribed by Moses at the direction of God and were for

the purposes of keeping His children both holy

(separated) and healthy. Hyssop appears here in Lev.

14:4,6,49,51-52, Num. 19:6, 18 and Heb. 9:19 (which is

found in the N.T. ).

And the classic verse "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall

be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow".

Psalm 51:7 (ESV) also reflects the cleansing use of this

herb.

We, as Believers, all acknowledge the only way to be

saved is by faith in our Savior, His abil ity to save us from

our sins, through His sacrifice. Could this represent the

washing of the above passage as we see in Rev. 7:14

(ESV) "These are the ones coming out of the great

tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them

white in the blood of the Lamb. "

So how does hyssop fit in? Aside from obvious cleansing,

there is another consideration. Hyssop is a bitter herb,

known for its acrid taste. This is the very reason to include

it in this edition of The Biblical Herbal, with its theme of

Passover. Bitter herbs were included in the instruction to

the Hebrews concerning the keeping of His Passover.

Exo. 12:8 (ESV) "They shall eat the flesh that night,

roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter

herbs they shall eat it. " Might the hyssop in Psalms

represent the Word of God, our Bible?

We are kept holy (set apart) by observance of the Word,

just as the children who painted blood over their

doorposts with hyssop were. Not that we are saved by

keeping/obeying the Word, but rather are kept holy by it.

Set apart from the world and our own desires for sin. I t

shows us our sin, how it grieves our Father, and our

absolute requirement to put it away. Bitter herbs make us

pucker in the mouth, but once swallowed, they create an

active, calm, and healthy digestive system. So while it is

bitter on our tongue at first, as we swallow in humil ity, it

becomes sweet as honey, cleansing and renewing us

from within. The purging action of the Word represented

by hyssop purifies us for the work He has prepared for us,

before the foundation of the world. Eph. 1:4 I t makes us a

peculiar people. (see Titus 2:14 and 1Pet. 2:9)

Another way the Word represented by Hyssop is bitter is

through the tribulation, that we are warned we shall have.

Though it is bitter to accept this reality we know that

tribulation produces a Christl ike character which cleanses

us from within. Just as we see in Rev. 7:14 (ESV), they

came through the great tribulation, we too shall have our

tribulations. John 16:33 (ESV) "I have said these things to

you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will

have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the

world. "Also, see Matt. 24:9. While at first this verse may

be bitter news, let us train our attention to the second half,

He has overcome! That is the sweet hope that

accompanies the bitter. See also Matt. 24:9 and Rom.

8:35. Christ gives us our justification and the Word gives

us our sanctification, only then does the bitter become

sweet.

Herbs of The BibleHerbs of The Bible: Hyssop

By Karri Waller of Amazing Grace Wellness Connections

5

Continued on next page. . .

Blue hyssop, Hyssopus officinalis, has a long Biblical

history as a spiritual cleansing herb and was often used to

cleanse the temple and other places of holy worship. [1]

The flowers, leaves, and stems are used medicinally and

in culinary recipes. The aerial parts are often harvested

for tinctures or syrups, to flavor sauces and honeys, and

have been used in salads. They can also be dried for later

medicinal use. I t has been said that German Herbalist

Hildegaard of Bingen wrote, "hyssop cleanses the lungs

and a meal of chicken cooked in hyssop and wine was

the recommended treatment for depression". [2]

Growing hyssop for yourself can be fairly simple. I t just

needs a dry, sunny location and can tolerate most soil

types fairly well . Hyssop can be propagated from seeds,

cuttings, or by dividing the roots. Direct sow the seeds

1/4" deep after danger of frost passed. Thin to 12 inches.

Seedlings wil l need to be watered every few days, but the

mature plants require l ittle care. Leaves can be harvested

at any time, and the plant should be cut back just after

flowering to 4 inches. Save the flowers and dry for later

use. [3]

Blue hyssop is often used for support during times ofstress or when you have respiratory issues, addinglavender and chamomile to your blend for furtherrelaxation benefits would make a great glycerite. [4]Using a food grade glycerin in place of the alcohol wouldbe called a glycerite. This is usually made for thoseopposed to alcohol or for children. Glycerin is just asuseful for extracting the “medicinal benefits” from theplants, but without the added concerns of alcohol. Whenyou make a glycerite with dried herbs, you need to adddisti l led water to help loosen and rehydrate the herbs.Generally, you wil l use 60% glycerin and 40% water as aratio for extraction. I f the herb is fresh, you can use 100%glycerin, but you wil l need to make sure to “muddle” orpound down the herb well in the mixture.

Blue Hyssop Glycerite

Ingredients:

5 grams dried blue hyssop

3 grams dried lavender flowers

2 grams dried chamomile flowers

30 mL of menstruum-glycerin

20 mL of disti l led water

jar with a lid

Directions:

Carefully measure the herbs by weight and place in a

clean, dry jar with a tight fitting l id. I t is important to

measure the dried herbs by weight to ensure exact

measurements in dosing. Add the glycerin and water. I f

using fresh herbs, be sure to muddle down in the jar.

Store in a cool, dry place and shake often for 2-3 weeks.

Drain all the plant matter and compost or discard. Label

and date the glycerite with the dosage and store out of

direct sunlight.

Use:

This glycerite would be useful for helping both adults and

children to relax, especially after a busy day, stressful

times in your l ife or travel. This blend is also helpful for

when you have a bit of chest congestion or coughing to

help soothe symptoms. Dosage for this tincture for a

healthy adult is 1-4 mL up to 3x daily. Children wil l need

less than this, as the usual dosage for children begins at

½ mL 3x a day. I t’s best to calculate this dosage based

on the exact weight of the child. The dosage of 4 mL is

for a 150 pound adult, so if your child weighs 75 pounds,

they would need ½ the adult dosage, or 2 mL daily. This

should not be used by those who are pregnant or may

become pregnant, those who have epilepsy or are prone

to seizures, or for those under the age of two. This can

also cause minor stomach upsets, such as diarrhea. I f

that occurs, discontinue use. I f symptoms continue after

stopping, please see a doctor.

Blue hyssop is a useful herb to have in your home

apothecary, especially during the early Spring and Fall

when colds seem to be on the rise, to help deal with chest

congestion and other related symptoms. When seasonal

business and stress arise, blue hyssop can come to your

rescue.

1.The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments with the

Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical books: New Revised Standard Version.

(1989). New York: Oxford University Press.Ex. 12:22, Lev 14:4,6,49,51-

52, Num 19:6,18, 1 Kings 4:33, Psalm 51:7, John 19:29, Heb 9:19

2. Castleman, M. , & Hendler, S. S. (1991). The healing herbs: The

ultimate guide to the curative power of nature's medicines. Emmaus, PA:

Rodale Press.

3. Hoffmann, D. (1998). The herbal handbook: A user's guide to medical

herbalism. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.

4.Hyssop Monograph. (n.d. ). Retrieved February 15, 2016, from

http: //herbarium.herbalacademyofne.com/

Blue Hyssop Glycerite Recipeby Heather Harris of The Homesteading Hippy

6

7

Q &ATime With The Herbalists

"What does Biblical herbalism mean to you?"

In the beginning (Bereshit) God created, then planted herbs and provided them for our wellness and nourishment. Our

bodies are fearful ly and wonderful ly made and created to heal themselves. By using herbs we can assist the body to

heal itself naturally and holistically. Bibl ical herbalism takes into account the mind, body, and spirit while applying sound

herbal wisdom partnered with scripture. I believe herbalism to be the medicine God intended, and God to be our great

Physician.

Tamra Speakman, Bibl ical Herbalist

Bibl ical Herbalism is a way to weave our Creator's gift of nature into the very fibers of our l ives. I t encourages us to look

to the ancient paths, to find the good ways and to receive the health He so desires for us. Jer. 6:19, 3 John 1:2, 1Thess.

5:23, Psalm 103:3.

Karri Waller, Clinical Master Herbalist

Practicing Bibl ical Herbalism is a point of turning from man's wisdom to the enduring wisdom of God. He provided the

herbs before man was even created, knowing the end from the beginning. I t is about trusting Him and His provision,

instead of leaning on the arm of the flesh. Trusting Him to supply every need and to lead and guide us in the way we

should go.

Sara Davis, Christian Herbalist

Bibl ical herbalism is trust. Trust that the Lord has a plan for my life which includes health. He desires us to live

abundantly and healthy. I love the ancient ways and truly feel closer to Him as I seek His ways for good health. "The

Lord will guide you always: he will satisfy your needs in a sun scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be

like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise

up the age old foundations, you will be called Repairer Of Broken Walls and Restorer of Streets with Dwellings"

Isaiah 58:11-12 (NIV)

Cyndi Sell , Herbalist

Bitter herbs help to stimulate digestive juices and support digestion. May

your Passover be fi l led with joy and your plate be fi l led with bitter herbs!