Summer Savory for nausea and lack of appetite
Summer Savory, Satureja hortensis, is also called Bean Herb and sometimes just Savory. It is closely related to Winter Savory, with which it shares many of the same properties. It is not related to Spring savory (another name for Basil Thyme).
Summer savory is a hardy annual which reaches a height of around a foot (30 cm). It may turn purple when it reaches maturity, depending on the conditions it is grown under. It prefers light to medium soil in full sun, and will tolerate very alkaline soil, and also drought. It is mainly regarded as a culinary herb, and is often recommended as an addition to beans to prevent flatulence. Strangely, it’s also a companion plant to beans in the garden.
Savory is not suitable for use as a remedy by pregnant women.
A standard infusion is made from 2-4 teaspoons of fresh or dried herb to 240 ml (1 US cup, 8 fl oz) boiling water, which is allowed to steep for at least 10 minutes (up to 3 hours), before straining. The dose is up to 1 cup a day, taken in small sips.
The standard infusion can be used to treat colic and flatulence (“wind“) or (“gas“), nausea, indigestion and lack of appetite, diarrhea, and as a gargle for a sore throat. It’s even said to have aphrodisiac properties! The essential oil is often included in remedies for baldness.
If you get stung by a bee or a wasp, pick a sprig of summer savory and rub it on the sting for fast relief.
As with all herbs grown for medicinal use, summer savory must be grown organically to avoid its component volatile oils being adulterated by foreign chemicals and losing their efficacy. To find out more about growing organic summer savory visit the Gardenzone.
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May 21st, 2009 at 20:10
[...] Summer Savory for nausea and lack of appetite [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 02:37
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