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Garden sage (Salvia officinalis L.)
Salvia officinalis is also known as Garden Sage and Common Sage. Should not be mistaken with other species, such as Chia (Salvia hispanica), Mexican mint (Salvia divinorum) which is a mild hallucinogen and other species of the Salvia genus, just because they are with similar name.
Salvia plants are spread in the whole world, but prefer more arid sea soil and salty wet air, so if you want to gather this herb in the wilderness, you need to find coastal bushy area.
All Salvia plants are very good for regulating gland secretion, they
- calm infections in the stomach and intestines,
- restore the slimy substance on stomach walls,
- restore gallbladder elasticity and drains the bile,
- restore lung moisture and regenerate tissue even in patients coughing blood,
- help battling bacteria in tuberculosis and relieve symptoms,
- remove sand particles from the kidneys naturally,
- regulate too abundant menstrual bleeding
- and improve overall gland health in the body.
for
Gathering and drying
you need to distinguish one Salvia from another, just to be sure you are getting the ordinary genus. There is no poisonous Salvia subspecies, but you probably don't want to gather and use Salvia divinorum (I will explain in another hub).
Ordinary Salvia has hairy spear-like leaves, purple blossoms and very strong root system, that is hard to be rooted. There is always part of the root surviving below ground, from which - more Salvia sprouts at spring. The color of the leaves is silverly-white below and silverly-green above.
Salvia divinorum is easy to distinguish with its less hairy leaves with a more round jig-saw teeth like form.
Leaves are gathered before and after blossoming. The herb blooms between May and September. Drying is done in shadow. All leaf mass is spread over old newspaper in not thick layer. The herb is dry enough if the leaves are crushed when bent.
Infusion
can be made by covering one tablespoon of finely crushed leaves with 1 pint of boiling water. Keep covered until completely cool. This is the daily dose.
Divide in 3 parts and drink before meals every day.
Even if you don't suffer from any internal disease, this herbal tea is excellent healthy replacement for daily green or black tea. In Bulgaria we call it "Garden tea" and even use it in some meat recipes. It is very fragrant and gives the meat recipe an excellent finish.