Kareniscooking

Portrait of Sage ~ Photo by Karen Diggs

In these turbulent times of environmental and financial calamities, it  can be hard to maintain a sense of optimism and balance. We can all use a dose (or two) of healing wisdom. But from where and how, you ask? Don’t fret. Here’s Sage to the rescue! Salvia officinalis, also known as the Common or Garden sage has amazing qualities that heal on many levels. Its Latin name of “salvia” means “to heal”, and it is known widely  as the herb of wisdom.

Here are some amazing facts about the sage (salvia officinalis) from around the world:

• The Greeks and Romans used this herb as a meat preservative due to it’s powerful antioxidant properties.  They also believed that it can enhance memory, calm chest ailments, and was prescribed for snake bites, and intestinal worms.
• The French so loved sage, that they called it toute bonne,  meaning “all’s well”, and used it for fevers and nerve related illnesses.
• The German abbess & herbalist, Hildegard of Bingen used sage for headaches, digestive issues, respiratory ailments, and even tuberculosis.
• The Chinese were introduced to sage by Dutch traders in the 16th century,and so prized it’s curative properties that they traded 3 pounds of their precious tea for 1 pound of sage.
• The Indian Ayurvedic healers  used sage to treat depression, gonorrhea, vaginitis, and eye disorders.

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