The Humorous Herbalist (aka Laurel Dewey) is writing about the benefits of Allspice (Pimento officinalis). You can read the entire article on The Post Independent or in my archives. For the temporally challenged, here's the highlights:
- A local and very temporary anesthetic; either as a tea or in EO (essential oil) form. Quite handy for "one-sided" neuralgia and headaches.
One-half to one full teaspoon of the dried powdered herb (depending upon your taste buds) to eight ounces of water. Cover the herb and steep for 10 minutes, strain the powder and drink up to two cups a day.
Always buy allspice in its whole form (i.e., the berries in the shell) and then grind or powder them prior to preparing the tea. This ensures the best flavor and the most medicinal punch.
25 to 30 drops of allspice essential oil into one ounce of the base oil. Shake the bottle gently and liberally apply the oil to aching muscles and/or joints.
Herbalist Hanna Kroeger wrote in her book “Spices to the Rescue,” that allspice was “a balm to the liver” and was a good tea to drink if “couples are inharmonious” or “if you are inharmonious with yourself.”
Since the liver, in holistic medicine, relates to where you hold your anger, there’s a sort of logic to this theory. Once your liver is calmed down, you might be less likely to pitch a fit. Thus, you could be more harmonious with yourself and/or your partner. If this is true, just think about how many marriages this herb could save.
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Glenwood Springs Post Independent - 2014 Grand Avenue - Glenwood Springs, CO 81601-4162
All’s well with allspice
By Laurel Dewey - December 5, 2003
I believe that allspice actually got its name due to the fact that somebody ate the powdered fruit and shell one day and said, “Hey you know what? This stuff tastes like a combination of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and juniper berries. It’s like all spices in one!” And thus, a common name for Pimento and Pimenta officinalis was born.
Okay, that might be herbal conjecture, but most people who use allspice — either in the herbal powder form or the concentrated essential oil — comment that it smells like a hybrid clove. This is interesting, since allspice has some medicinal uses that are similar to clove.
One of those uses is as a local and very temporary anesthetic. Like clove, allspice has large amounts of the volatile oil compound called eugenol. This helps to give allspice its anesthetic properties as well as its antiseptic qualities.
I don’t want to insinuate that you can drink a cup of allspice tea or rub the essential oil on your body and then magically have heart surgery and feel nothing. What I am saying is that allspice has had the ability to temporarily give symptomatic numbing relief from the pain associated with rheumatism and neuralgia.
In tea form, allspice is highly recommended for what is called “one sided pain.” In other words, if you have neuralgia and it tends to only affect one side of your body, give this tasty tea a try.
Allspice is also a good brew to consider if you suffer from one sided headaches. The herb to water ratio would be one-half to one full teaspoon of the dried powdered herb (depending upon your taste buds) to eight ounces of water. Cover the herb and steep for 10 minutes, strain the powder and drink up to two cups a day.
Allspice essential oil makes a good analgesic muscular rub that can relieve minor aches and pains. I have used it undiluted — which, by the way, is never recommended in books — and had no adverse effects. It could be a different story, though, for those who have fair or sensitive skin. If you fall into that category, dilute the essential oil with a light, absorbent base oil such as apricot kernel oil or grapeseed oil. An effective blend would be 25 to 30 drops of allspice essential oil into one ounce of the base oil. Shake the bottle gently and liberally apply the oil to aching muscles and/or joints. If you experience any type of uncomfortable burning sensations or itching, discontinue use of the oil blend.
Perhaps the most well known way to enjoy allspice is as an after dinner tea for gas or indigestion. This Jamaican berry has a positively wonderful warming ability — much like other “digestive” herbs such as cardamom and cinnamon. It is that warming ability that gives allspice its calming and soothing properties.
What I love about allspice is that you can drink the tea freely. So many herbal brews need to have their dosage curbed for one reason or another. But not allspice. Basically, you can drink this stuff until you are swimming in it up to your earlobes.
To make the tea for gas and indigestion, pour eight ounces of boiling distilled water over one-half to one teaspoon of the powdered berry. Stir thoroughly and cover, letting it steep for 10 to 20 minutes. The longer it steeps, the spicier it will be. Strain the powder and sip slowly, the hotter the better.
Always buy allspice in its whole form (i.e., the berries in the shell) and then grind or powder them prior to preparing the tea. This ensures the best flavor and the most medicinal punch.
One final tidbit of interest: Herbalist Hanna Kroeger wrote in her book “Spices to the Rescue,” that allspice was “a balm to the liver” and was a good tea to drink if “couples are inharmonious” or “if you are inharmonious with yourself.”
Since the liver, in holistic medicine, relates to where you hold your anger, there’s a sort of logic to this theory. Once your liver is calmed down, you might be less likely to pitch a fit. Thus, you could be more harmonious with yourself and/or your partner. If this is true, just think about how many marriages this herb could save.
E-mail your questions to The Humorous Herbalist at writer8@sopris.net.
This column is not meant to take the place of your physician, nor is it intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe. Pregnant or nursing women should consult their doctor before using herbal therapy.