“The correction of disease occurs from the top of the body downward and from the inside outward. Thus, the first sign of crisis often is headache, lastly diarrhoea.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
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herbal medicine
Detoxification
“Detoxification can reduce the toxic overload. Detoxifcation cleansing by fasting, dietary changes, enema, hydrotherapy: sauna/steam, supports immune function.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
David Hoffman in his introduction to “The New Holistic Herbal” states, “Herbs can be used freely and safely as part of one’s lifestyle without thinking of them as ‘medicines’. For specific health needs, their best use would be preventative … There are specific herbs which strengthen and tone specific organs and systems … the following may be safely used over extended periods of time:
Circulatory system: Hawthorn Berries (Crataegus oxyacanthoides) (Shan Zha)
Respiratory system: Mullein (Verbascum Thapsus) (Jia Yan Ye)
Digestive system: Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) (Xuan Gao Wen Zi Cao)
Nervous system: Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora -Labiatae) (Not Baical Skullcap Root which is Huang Qin - Radix Scutellariae Baicalensis - Labiatae)
Skin: Nettles (Urtica) (Xun Ma)
Muscular and skeletal system: Celery Seed (Apium Graveolens) (Qin Cai)
Reproductive system: Raspberry Leaves (Rubus idaeus) (Fu Pen Zi)
Urinary system: Buchu** (Agathosma betulina) …”
(We’ve added in italics the Latin and, where known, the Chinese Medicine name.)
**Contraindicated in pregnancy
The healing crisis. In Arabic: al-bahraan. It is, "the sudden change in the condition of the patient suffering from acute fever, which is usually accompanied by excessive sweating and rapid decrease in temperature. The abnormal heat of fever acts on the maturing of the superfluous matters so that they can be dealt with by the body. It is also described as a detoxification process.” Ibn Sina, as quoted in “Avicenna’s Medicine”.
“Crisis in terms of substance repulsed, has five modes: vomiting, diarrhoea, nosebleeding, urination, and perspiration. Crisis by urine or perspiration is incomplete because a thin substance is thrown out and a thick one remains. Crisis by vomiting, nosebleeding, or diarrhoea is complete.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
It is, as they say, a Good Thing.
Peganum harmala, commonly called esfand, wild rue, Syrian rue, African rue, spilani, harmel, or aspand.
Not related to rue (ruta graveolens).
Cited by Robert Thomson, in “Natural Medicine” (Wildwood House, London, 1981) as one of the top herbs for a natural medicine herbalist to stock.
It is said to have antioxidant and antimutagenic properties and has been used as an emmenagogue and abortifacient agent. Also as an anthelmintic.
Image: By Lazaregagnidze (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopaedia of Natural Medicine” says, “…it is used in the treatment of malignant ulcers, scrofula, indolent sores, burns, whooping cough and various spasms, and bronchial and renal conditions. The warm tea is very soothing to the nerves.”
In latin it is called trifolium pratense.
In TCM it is Mu.
Wormwood, also known as sweet wormwood, sweet annie, sweet sagewort, annual mugwort or annual wormwood. In TCM it is Qing Hao. The latin name is artemisia annua.
A December 2016 study found that, “A centuries-old herbal medicine, discovered by Chinese scientists and used to effectively treat malaria, has been found to potentially aid in the treatment of tuberculosis and may slow the evolution of drug resistance.”
In fact, wormwood is well known not just within the TCM system but also in western natural medicine and Unani Tibb.
Menzies-Trull, in "The Herbalist's Prescriber" says it is an anti-infective with cautions for diarrhoea, headache and tinnitus.
Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980), says, of wormwood (artemisia absinthium), “The tops and leaves are used as a tonic, a stomachic, a stimulant febriluge, an anthelmintic, and a narcotic … it is a first-rate treatment of enfeebled digestion and debility … It is also treated for [amongst other things] loss of appetite … diabetes … obstinate diarrhoea.”
Image
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Robert Thomson, in “Natural Medicine” (Wildwood House, London, 1981) refers to it on several occasions including as part of a formula for roughness of the lungs from smoke or dust, or loud shouting.
In TCM marshmallow root is Yao Shu Kui and is classified as sweet, neutral, and pungent.
Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopaedia of Natural Medicine” says, “… prescribed for a variety of ailments, including dropsy, coughs, sore throats, and catarrhal conditions of the urinary tract. The dosage of the powdered root is ½ to 1 teaspoon, as a tea.”
In Tibb (Islamic Medicine), it is classified as hot and moist: food qualities.
It is Gan Cao in TCM.
In Arabic it is called al-Sus and also Urq al-Suws
Robert Thomson, in “Natural Medicine” (Wildwood House, London, 1981) says, “All the Hakims I consulted were in agreement that chicory is the best remedy for bad temperament of the liver.”
Chicory root, is al-hindubaa al-baria in Arabic, and Ju Ju Gen in TCM.
In Tibb it is classified as a tonic, diuretic, hepatic and laxative. It removes phlegm. It is good for the liver.
In TCM it is classified as bitter and diuretic and considered as good for the liver.
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, "Blackseed helps against all types of cold ailments. In addition, blackseed helps introduce the effective ingredients of cold medications to the areas affected by hot and dry ailments, as it helps the body absorb the medicine quickly when taken in small dosages. The author of the 'Qanoon' and other people stated that saffron blended with camphor has similar effects, because saffron helps the camphor reach the affected area quickly. There are several types of plants that have similar effects as saffron. It is possible that the hot substance benefits in cases of hot diseases.”
Coriander – Habbat -ul-Suda - Kishneez - Cilantro - Chinese Parsley – Hu Sui
As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, "Al-Bukhari says that coriander seeds are hot and dry ... Abu Harira reports an apocryphal saying, ‘yours be the seeds of coriander, for they are a cure for all diseases, save the swelling and that is a fatal disease’ … [It] is universally accepted as a panacea. Coriander seeds are useful for all diseases that are cold and wet … [They]never fail to increase the urine, the menses and the milk … They will also cure a cold. If they are boiled in fat, they are good for baldness, warts, and delusions. An ointment of coriander seeds stimulates the growth of the beard and prevents grey hair. … If eaten on bread the seeds remove wind and relieve headaches.”
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, "The most beneficial simple kinds of grease are regular oil, then fat and then sesame oil. As for the compound greases, some kinds are wet and cold, such as the essence of violet, which helps against hot headaches and brings sleep to the eye. It moisturises the brain, helps against cracks (or fractures) and excessive dryness of the skin. It is also a beneficial ointment against mange and dry rashes, along with helping the joints be flexible. It is suitable for those who tend to be hot during the summer.”
As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, " Shatarah — Fumitory [has the quality of] heat and dryness. Its special property is to cleanse the blood and set flowing inflamed humours. And in a similar manner it is beneficial for scabs and itch. Said Rhazes: Fumitory is a solvent which makes to flow the inflamed humours and is also good for scabs and pruritus. The dose for each of these is from four to seven drachms. I maintain that this is the best rectifier of all purges, but it is essential to add olive oil and sugar. “
Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber" classifies fumitory as a choleretic (something that increases bile secretion from the liver and increases solids secreted) and says it’s for external use for conjunctivitis.
David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal” says it’s a diuretic, laxative and alterative and, “has a long history of use in the treatment of skin problems such as eczema and acne. Its action is probably due to a general cleansing mediated via the kidneys and liver.
Michael Howard in Traditional Folk Remedies warns that fumitory is “poisonous” and should only be used "under the direction of a medical herbalist."
Traditional Chinese Medicine calls it Yao Yong Qiu Guo Guo Zi Jin and uses it for skin diseases.
Image: By Luis Nunes Alberto (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" tells us that rhubarb
- is hot and dry
- dissolves blockages in the liver
- relieves chronic fevers.
Traditional Chinese Medicine calls it Da Huang and, again, it’s used for dissolving blockages.
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" in the Chapter entitled “Observations on Compound Preparations said, "So now we will examine sweet ebullients [agents that causes heat and movement]. These are the ebullients made from jujubes, sebestens, fennel, and extract of liquorice [Arabic ‘araq as-Sus].”
According to a 2012 report, “the root has been treasured in traditional healing since ancient times. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin have now discovered that liquorice root also contains substances with an anti-diabetic effect. These amorfrutins not only reduce blood sugar, they are also anti-inflammatory and are very well tolerated. Thus, they may be suitable for use in the treatment of complex metabolic disorders.” [EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.]
Liquorice (“Gan Cao”) according to Sacred Lotus in Chinese Traditional Medicine is considered as a spleen tonic, moistens the lungs, dispels phlegm and stops coughs, it releases cramps and alleviates pain and clears heat.
The College of Chinese Medicine says that liquorice strengthens the spleen, is anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, detoxicant, anti-tussive and expectorant, antacid and moderates the action of other herbs.
Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber" says, "Liquorice [glycyrrhiza glabra/ inflata/ uralensis] is a demulcent. A normaliser of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system”
David Hoffman in "The New Holistic Herbal" has it as an emollient and a demulcent (for the lung), for coughs (in a 3-part mixture), bronchitis and catarrh, as an expectorant, anti-inflammatory, adrenal agent, anti-spasmodic and mild-laxative.
Withania somnifera is more commonly known as ashwagandha, , winter, cherry, Indian ginseng, or poison gooseberry. Ashwagandha is a Sanskrit word meaning “horse’s smell”. It’s not clear if that’s a Good Thing.
A March 2017 study by the University of Tsukuba concluded that, “an active component of ashwagandha leaves significantly induces sleep.”
Ingrid Hehmeyer and Hanne Schonig in “Herbal Medicine in Yemen: Traditional Knowledge and Practice, and Their Value for Today's World”, tell us that in Yemen, where it is known as ubab, the dried leaves of ashwagandha, “… the dried leaves are ground to a powder from which a paste is made and used in the treatment of burns and wounds.”
Image: By Roger Culos - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22724466
A July 2016 report found that one of the constituents of pomegranate acted upon by the gut allows muscle cells to "protect themselves against one of the major causes of ageing.”
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" mentions the different benefits of sweet, sour and medium tasting pomegranates and says, "It is related from Ibn Abbas ... that every pomegranate you have is pollinated from a seed from the pomegranates of Paradise." Ibn Qayyim mentions pomegranates, like honey, as an aphrodisiac.
As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, " ...the Prophet, peace be upon him, ... said, 'there is not a pomegranate which does not have a pip from one of the pomegranates of the Garden in it.' And another hadith states, 'No pomegranate grows ripe without being watered by a drop of the water of the Garden.' and yet another hadith goes, 'No one eats pomegranates without his heart being moved and shaytan fleeing from him.'"
Chishti in "The Traditional Healers Handbook" lists the pomegranate as an astringent (contracts muscular fibre by irritation), anthelmintic (kills or expels worms) and tenifuge (expels tapeworms) and advises its use for a range of conditions including dim vision.
This journal entry is published subject to the terms, conditions and disclaimers as set out elsewhere on this website.
Barley – Arabic: “Sha’iir”
Seasoning
Ibn Qayyim says, “The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, used to eat bread with seasoning (idaam): sometimes he would season it with meat and would say: ‘This is the chief food of the people of this world and the next.’ This is related by Ibn Maaja and others. Sometimes he would eat it with watermelon, sometimes with dates. He put a date on a morsel of bread, saying, ‘This is the proper seasoning for that.’ This is an example that indicates the importance of balancing different types of food in order to obtain a proper diet. For barley bread is cold and dry, while dates are hot and moist. To season barley bread with dates is the best arrangement, especially for those accustomed to them, like the people of Madinah.”
Seasoning bread with, for example, vinegar which the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, did, is one method to preserve health.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, used the same word for seasoning meaning harmony and suitability as when recommending that a man when proposing should see his prospective bride.
Barley or Wheat?
Barley bread is cold and dry. Wheat bread is more nutritious.
Properties of Barley Bread
Barley bread is an astringent, is cooling and causes wind.
Barley mixed with honey is good for a fever.
Barley relieves thirst and sorrow.
The best barley is white.
Fresh Wheat Bread causes fatness very quickly
A meal of spinach and barley
Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, when recovering from an illness was advised by the Prophet, peace be upon him, to eat from a meal of spinach and barley that had been prepared for them.
A dish of barley and almonds – the food of tyrants
A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, related: The Prophet, peace be upon him, was brought a dish of barley and almonds, but he refused it, saying, ‘This is the food of tyrants and of those who will come after me.’
Sources
This Journal entry is based entirely on the following sources:
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet"
As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet"
Mending the heart of the sorrowful
Ibn Maaja relates an hadith of A’isha may Allah be pleased with her, who said: When any one of his family was indisposed, the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, used to call for a broth of barley to be made, then he would order them to drink the broth. He would say, ‘Indeed it mends the heart of the sorrowful and relieves the heart of the sick, just as one of you removes dirt from his face with water’.
“Ratw” (mend) means to firm and strengthen.
“Sarw” (relieve) means to uncover and remove.
Talbina - Talabina - Barley Broth – Barley Gruel
Talbina is a white, thin broth made of ground barley with the husks.
It is a type of soup that has the consistency of yoghurt,
Because it is thin and cooked rather than thick and raw it is good for sick people.
Driving Away Sorrow
A’isha may Allah be pleased with her, said: the Prophet, peace be upon him, ‘Talbina soup fills up the inner parts of a sick man to the brim and drives away sorrow’ (Al Bukhari) As-Suyuti says, “the ‘inner parts’ means the cardia of the stomach.”
Awful but Efficacious
A’isha may Allah be pleased with her, said Talbina was “awful but efficacious” (As-Suyuti).
Ibn Qayyim notes that is better than porridge made of barley and that cleanses, refines and dissolves.
Talbina Recipe
Ibn Qayyim says, “Take a good quantity of good, crushed barley, and five parts of pure water, put it all in a clean pot, cook it over a moderate fire until two fifths of it remain, then it is strained and as much as is needed may be used with sweetener added.”
Properties
Talbina is better than barley water (made from whole barley) for the sick because, according to Ibn Qayyim, “the special properties of barley are released through grinding.”
Barley broth has more power to cleanse than barley water.
As-Suyuti notes that, “Some say that it is a laxative and some say it constipates.”
Happiness and Tranquillity
Talbina relaxes a sick person’s heart. It makes them tranquil and happy.
Distress and sorrow originate in the heart and make for a cold temperament.
This weakens the person’s innate heat. Talbina increases the innate heat and disperses the sorrow and distress.
A sad person’s faculties are weakened
The organs, especially the stomach, of a sad person tend to dryness. This weakens their faculties. Talbina makes the stomach and heart moist, nourishes and strengthens them.
Putting the stomach at rest
An imbalance in the stomach can be dispelled by the use of barley broth which puts the stomach at rest.
The habit of the people of Madinah
Ibn Qayyim remarks, “This is especially so for the person who is accustomed to feed on barley bread. This was the habit of the people of Madinah, at that time. It was their staple food, for wheat was expensive in their region.”
Barley Broth mixed with Cress and Vinegar - Sciatica
For sciatica, make a poultice made up of mixed barley broth with cress and vinegar.
Sources
This Journal entry is based entirely on the following sources:
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet"
As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet"