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==How Red clover Is Used==  
==How Red clover Is Used==  
*The flowering tops of the red clover plant are used to prepare extracts available in tablets and capsules, as well as in teas and liquid forms.  
*The flowering tops of the red clover plant are used to prepare extracts available in tablets and capsules, as well as in teas and liquid forms.
 
==Herbal Remedy Products with Red Clover as part of the ingredients==
{|
|-
|[[File:DetoxSlim.jpg|75px|link=https://zamboanga.com/product/detoxslim/]]
||
*<span class="plainlinks">[https://zamboanga.com/product/detoxslim/ DetoxSlim™]</span>  -  Herbal supplement for liver health and toxin release, plus support for slimming programs
**Promotes healthy digestion and helps support slimming programs*
**Supports routine cleansing and detoxification*
**Supports healthy liver function*
**Encourages healthy digestion*
**Supports overall health and wellness*
|}


==What the Science Says about Red clover==  
==What the Science Says about Red clover==  
*Although several small studies of red clover for menopausal symptoms had mixed results, a large study found that red clover had no beneficial effects on menopausal symptoms.  
*Although several small studies of red clover for menopausal symptoms had mixed results, a large study found that red clover had no beneficial effects on menopausal symptoms.  
*There is not enough scientific evidence to determine whether red clover is effective for any other health conditions.  
*There is not enough scientific evidence to determine whether red clover is effective for any other health conditions.  
*NCCAM is studying red clover to learn more about its active components and how they might work in the body, including a clinical trial investigating the safety and effectiveness of red clover for menopausal symptoms.  
*NCCAM is studying red clover to learn more about its active components and how they might work in the body, including a clinical trial investigating the safety and effectiveness of red clover for menopausal symptoms.
<center>{{herbheader}}</center>
 
==Side Effects and Cautions of Red clover==  
==Side Effects and Cautions of Red clover==  
*Red clover seems to be safe for most adults when used for short periods of time. No serious adverse effects have been reported.  
*Red clover seems to be safe for most adults when used for short periods of time. No serious adverse effects have been reported.  
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==News About Red Clover ==
==News About Red Clover ==
'''Red Clover: Know This Health-Boosting Herb'''
*Source:http://www.foodtrients.com/news/red-clover-get-to-know-this-health-boosting-herb/
:By Dr. Mark A. Rosenberg (MD)
When I explain alternative treatment options to my patients often I get asked this one question “Is there an herb I can take for that, Dr. Rosenberg?” Today, more and more people understand that modern medicine may be complemented by natural and alternative treatments. When it comes to herbs, some are good for targeting a specific problem, while others offer a host of health benefits. Today, I will discuss one that falls in the latter category—red clover.
:What Is Red Clover?
Native to Europe and Asia, red clover is also cultivated in North America. It is grown in meadows for the purpose of grazing animals. The sweet nectar in the plant’s tiny red flowers may be collected by bees, eventually to become clover honey. If organically grown, the flowers are edible and are sometimes used in iced tea and salads.
The red clover plant contains a wide array of vitamins and minerals. Some of these nutrients include calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C. The substances that have recently put red clover in the spotlight, however, are isoflavones. These natural plant substances act as powerfulantioxidants in the body. Antioxidants fight inflammation, which is believed to be responsible for many chronic diseases. The isoflavones in red clover have an effect similar to estrogen because of their ability to attach to estrogen receptors in cells.
:How Red Clover Benefits Health
Traditionally, red clover has been used as a diuretic, an expectorant for clearing mucous from the lungs, and a treatment for infection. It has also been used as a cancer treatment, particularly for prostate and liver cancers, because of its ability to stimulate the immune system. It also contains a substance called coumarin, which is known to act as a blood thinner. This blood thinning effect may reduce the risk of clots and improve blood flow.
Some studies suggest that the isoflavones in red clover may disrupt bone loss in pre- and postmenopausal women. It has also been used to treat infertility and chronic miscarriages, which are both associated with low estrogen. It may fight heart disease by raising levels of good HDL cholesterol in the blood. Other conditions that may benefit from the isoflavones in red clover are psoriasis, kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disorder, liver problems and a weakened immune system. It has been noted that people at risk for breast cancer or other diseases caused by excess estrogen should not take red clover.
:Red Clover and MSG
An exciting new study has shown that red clover may prevent the damaging of effects of the food additive, monosodium glutamate, or MSG. In the June issue of the journal, Phytomedicine, it was reported that neurons treated with red clover isoflavones were not affected by glutamate exposure, which normally results in cell damage.
MSG is not simply a salt or seasoning, but a substance that directly affects the brain. It is often added to processed food, such as soups, prepared meals, gravies, sauces, and fast food. MSG sends messages to the brain that release dopamine, a chemical that makes you feel good and creates the perception of flavor. That is why it is often used to make lower quality foods taste better. This activity in the brain can cause cell damage. Taking red clover before eating fast food may prevent this effect.
As you can see, there are many ways to benefit from red clover. This herb is available in dried form, which is perfect for tea. You can also get it in tincture or capsule form. If using capsules, the recommended dosage is 40 to 160 mg per day. Because of red clover’s potent estrogenic and blood thinning properties, it is essential to talk to your doctor before using this herb. If it is right for you, your doctor can help devise a complementary treatment plan.
Stay Well.
----
'''Red clover: how to use it to reset your hormones, fight inflammation and burn belly fat'''
*Source:http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/red-clover-benefits.html
:(Healthy Holistic Living)
If you thought a four-leaf clover was the luckiest clover you could get your hands on – think again. Then, quit thinking about it and go get yourself some red clover.
In recent red clover studies, the plant has been found to be the most abundant source of isoflavones, a plant-based chemical that acts like estrogen. But this herb can be used safely by both men and women and has a number of different health benefits.
:Lucky Red Clover
You can buy red clover in capsules, as a tea, or in bulk as a dried herb. Red clover is from the legume family and isn’t just good for humans – red clover performs nitrogen fixation which means, when planted in your garden, this plant helps the rest of your garden grow!
So what else can red clover do for you, other than make the herbs and veggies you’re growing even better?
:Phytoestrogens
Red clover is the herb with the most phytoestrogens, which are very similar to human estrogen from a chemical standpoint. This plant-based compound is easily digested and used in our bodies to regulate hormonal imbalances and even help prevent cancer.
The way these phytoestrogens work is interesting:
:• if there is too much estrogen present in the body (such as women before reaching menopause) the phytoestrogens attach to estrogen receptors and prevent the natural hormone from overproducing.
:• When natural estrogen levels are too low (women during menopause) the phytoestrogens take on the role of raising and balancing the natural level of this hormone.
:Estrogen Deficiencies
A study at the Harvard Medical School shows that low levels of estrogen affect men as well. Red clover helps to defeat estrogen deficiency which can cause depression, lack of energy, weight gain and insomnia in the form of anxiety. Red clover has been seen to lower the risk of “mid-life crises” in men.
:Red Clover: The Benefits
Red clover, taken daily, can improve and strengthen your bones, lower inflammation and promote dilation of your veins to encourage blood flow, improves your skin, mood, sleep, and even naturally lowers bad cholesterol. What else does this wonderful plant do for you?
:• Cytoprotective – protects your cells against free radicals
:• Anti-inflammatory – lowers inflammation, which has been linked to diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s and more
:• Blood-cleansing effect – removes toxins from your system.
:• Protects prostate – improves and strengthens prostate function.
:• Improves water retention – for healthy, younger-looking skin
:• Protects against cardiovascular diseases – by lowering cholesterol, red clover will keep your heart healthy, your bones healthy, and improve your weight loss drastically.
:• Controls calcium deposition of bones.
:• Improves blood flow
:• Lowers Cholesterol
:• Prevents bone loss
:• Promotes a positive mood and healthy sleep
This great herb actually has a ton more uses.
:Do You Feel Lucky?
Now that you’ll be getting more red clover into your life, do you feel lucky? Its phytoestrogens will help balance hormonal deficiencies, its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties will help to clean your veins, heart, and other internal organs, its anti-cancer properties kill free radicals and protect against bone, heart, breast and prostate cancer, and it helps strengthen brittle bones associated with menopause.
So do you feel lucky? We hope so.
Do you have any great health topics you want us to write about? Share with us in the comments! And thanks for reading.
----
'''Can Red Clover Help With Signs & Symptoms of Menopause?'''
*Source:http://www.lifeclimax.com/can-red-clover-help-with-signs-symptoms-of-menopause/
:By Lianne Tang
Red clover (also known as Trifolium pretense) is a species of herb stemming from the clover family that originates from Europe, Western Asia, and Northwest Africa. With a natural sweet taste, red clover has been commonly used as sweet-tasting herbal teas, flavoring ingredient for various foods and beverages, and natural treatments for various health problems related to respiratory system (such as regular coughs, whooping coughs, and congestions) and lymphatic system related disorders.
An interesting observation that the alternative health care practitioners saw is that red clover seems to alleviate stomach cramps, breast soreness, hot flashes, and emotional irritation tendencies in women during their periods and menopause. Thus it has been suggested as an herbal remedy that is beneficial to women’s overall well-being.
:The Science Behind Red Clover
Based on an analysis from the University of Maryland Medical Center, red clover is a plant that is full of beneficial nutrients. It is rich in Vitamin C, calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, and thiamine. At the same time, the researchers have found that red clover contains a plentiful source of isoflavones (Isoflavones are plant chemicals that have similar structures to the human hormones estrogens and progesterones, and have the same reactions to the hormone receptors, we have written an in-depth article on topic of isoflavones here). The special quality that separates red clover from many other isoflavones-rich plants is that it contains isoflavones that react both with the estrogen and progesterone pathways in the human body (Hajirahimkhan, 2013). As explained in my article “Hormone Therapy: More Trouble Than Its Worth?”, administration of estrogen without progesterone (depending on the dosage) may result in various degrees of side-effects from more frequent irregular uterus bleeding, thickening of the uterus, to uterus cancer. With red clover, because it contains isoflavones that react with estrogen and progesterone receptors, the risk of running into these side-effects are minimal.
:Benefits of Red Clover for Menopause
As a natural source of both estrogen and progesterone, red clover helps alleviate the infamous menopause symptoms of hot flashes and cold sweat. And unlike the isolated estrogen/progesterone extract produced by the pharmaceutical companies, red clover contains all the other healthy nutrients that are known to help women sleep better during menopause.
Let’s take a look at the beneficial qualities of red clover against various menopause symptoms:
:Hot Flashes and Cold Sweats:
Many scientific studies have found that estrogen supplements may alleviate the hot flash symptom (Menati, 2014) and that progesterone may alleviate the cold sweat problem (Luoto, 2009). It has been reported that red clover can reduce the frequency of hot flashes by one third. Although hot flashes may still occur, the intensity is significantly less (Menati, 2014).
:General Fatigue and Libido:
The boost of vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium in general help women fight against the dryness of skin (you can read about dry itchy skin here), fatigue, and moodiness. During menopause, as the estrogen level declines severely, it decreases the ability of your body to absorb nutrients and dampens your immune system. As a result, many women will feel generally tired as if they are always about to get sick. The vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium in the red clover not only increase the chances for your body to take up more nutrients, but they are crucial to build up your immune system. Together with the boost in estrogen level, many women find red clover to increase their libido and uplift their general well-being (Lipovac, 2011).
:Dryness of Skin:
As you have seen in many anti-aging beauty products, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium greatly help women combat against dryness of skin as they promote better fluid retention in skin cells. It has been documented in several scientific studies that red clover preparations can speed up wound healing and greatly ease chronic skin problems such as psoriasis (Lipovac, 2011). It has also been found to promote better scalp, hair, and nail condition in menopausal and post-menopausal women (Lipovac, 2011).
:Cardiovascular-related Problems:
Because red clover slows the rate of blood-clotting, it reduces the risk of blood clots floating in the blood stream which may lead to embolism and stroke (Hajirahimkhan, 2013). At the same time, the isoflavones have shown to reduce the bad cholesterol level in the blood.
:Osteoporsis:
The calcium and phosphorus is a great helper along with the isoflavones to lower the risk of osteoporosis occurring during and after menopause (Luoto, 2009).
:Red Clover vs. Black Cohosh
Black Cohosh, one of the best-selling menopause symptoms reliever in the United States, is made from the North American black cohosh plant roots (we have written an extensive article about black cohosh that you can read here). Although several studies have found it to be helpful with hot flashes, other studies have found it to have no effect at all.
According to scientific research, black cohosh has reported to interact with only serotonin receptors in the human body (Hajirahimkhan, 2013). Although serotonin may help with depression and sleeping disorders, it does not react with estrogen or progesterone at all like red clover does. Consequently, it will not help with many symptoms of menopause that are heavily related to the functioning of estrogen and progesterone receptors. Unless you hare having problem with sleeping or suffering from depression, you can skip over black cohosh as a menopause symptom reliever.
Dosage (how much red clover you should take?) and Possible Side Effects
In general, daily dosage up to 80 milligrams of red clover is safe to be used as a dietary amount. However, to better gauge a safer consumption amount, please consult your family physician before starting the daily intake of red clover.
This procedure is extremely important if you currently have any physical condition and receiving any treatments because red clover may cause a side effect when taken in combination with various medical treatments.
There have been documented cases where individuals, under treatment for liver-related maladies, suffer from severe cases of severe vomiting and epigastric pain upon starting their red clover supplements (Orr, 2013). And because of its coumarin derivatives, individuals with coagulation disorders or currently undergoing anticoagulation therapy should consult with their physicians before taking red clover. It should also be noted that red clover may have the following side-effects: rash-like reactions, muscle ache, headache, nausea, and/or vaginal bleeding in women.
If any of these symptoms occur, immediately stop all intake of red clover and consult your family physician. Although there have been studies that suggest that Isoflavones may lower risk of breast cancer, these studies were done solely on soy Isoflavones and they only shown positive results in Asian populations according to the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study (Heber, 2008). Therefore, red clover should not be taken by women with a family history or a past history, or currently having breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, uterine fibroids, or other estrogen-sensitive or progesterone-sensitive conditions.
What about you? Have you used red clove during menopause for hot flashes or any other symptoms? Have you used black cohosh? Which do you prefer?
----
'''How to Use Red Clover Blossoms'''
*Source:https://frugallysustainable.com/how-to-use-red-clover-blossoms/
:(Andrea, Frugally Sustainable)
This week, while visiting my sister in Colorado Springs, I have had the pleasure of taking to the land and foraging for wild edibles and herbs not commonly available to me in the low desert of Phoenix.
Imagine my surprise and delight when I stumbled upon a large patch of Red Clover growing in the sandy soil near a creek bed while hiking a few days ago!
Red Clover infusions have quickly made their way onto the list of my top 5 most favorite drinks — not only is the tea nourishing but the blossoms of this clover are super tasty when eaten raw, and they make a wonderful treatment for wounds when used topically.
In fact, Red Clover could be compared to the herb Alfalfa leaf simply because of it’s nutritional value.
Moreover, it is an all-around good immune system builder, blood purifier, and one of the best herbs for detoxification.
A list of health benefits may include:
1. It functioning as a good tonic for colds.
2. Make a salve or poultice with the blossoms and use it on burns, psoriasis, eczema, various sores, and acne.
3. A great respiratory system herb! It eases coughs, colds and symptoms of bronchitis.
4. Use it as a mild sedative to relax and calm the nervous system.
5. Known to relieve the symptoms of PMS in pre-menopausal women and can assist the body in establishing a healthy menstrual flow.
6. Reduces the symptoms of menopause. Notably hot flashes and may delay the effects of osteoporosis.
7. Great for liver health as it purifies the blood and helps to remove toxins.
8. Red clover also seems to reduce our levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol and our risk for heart disease.
9. Nutritionally speaking Red Clover blossoms contain a good amount of calcium, magnesium, potassium, niacin, thiamine, and lots of Vitamin C.
:How to Use Red Clover Blossoms
How should we use these beauty blossoms?
They are most often dried to be used in teas or herbal infusions. But they can be tinctured or used externally and made into salves…even used as a poultice. Likewise, Red Clover blossoms can be added raw to many culinary dishes such as salads and soups.
I have been enjoying these blossoms in a wonderful, cleansing infusion for the past couple of days. A perfect detoxifying drink for my time away from home!
And here’s how I’ve done it…
::Red Clover Blossom Infusion
:• For all of my herbal infusions, I follow the wisdom of Susun Weed. Click this link to read more about her methods. And I encourage you to read her books — Healing Wise (Wise Woman Herbal Series), Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, New Menopausal Years — if you are further interested.
Ingredients
:-1 ounce Red Clover blossoms (about a cup)
:-1 quart-sized jar filled to the top with hot water (just cooled from boiling)
Directions: Fill your jar with the blossoms and cover with hot water to the top. Place the lid on the jar and allow the mixture to steep for 4-10 hours.
To Use: Strain the plant material and enjoy the tea…drink 2-4 cups per day. The remainder of the liquid should be chilled and consumed within 36-48 hours — this prior to spoilage.
Fun additions: My sister has a beautiful mint garden, so I’ve been adding a few mint leaves…yummo! Sage would also be a wonderful addition.
Cautions for Red Clover: Do not consume internally during pregnancy. Do not use if you are taking anti-coagulant medications or if you have thin blood. Generally considered safe for children. Note…please consult with a medical professional before taking this or any other herbal supplement as it may interfere with certain medications and treatments.
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'''Red clover genome to help restore sustainable farming'''
*Source:http://www.earlham.ac.uk/newsroom/red-clover-genome-help-restore-sustainable-farming
:By Charlotte Jones/IBERS (Earlham Institute, co-authors)
Earlham Institute (EI) in collaboration with IBERS, has sequenced and assembled the DNA of red clover to help breeders improve the beneficial traits of this important forage crop. The genome is published in Scientific Reports, a journal from the Nature publishing group.
Before industrial nitrogen fertiliser production (from fossil fuels), red clover and other legume crops were essential in crop rotation, improving soil fertility. Legumes boost soil nitrate fertility by assimilating nitrogen from the air, recruiting soil bacteria to help – this is considerably more eco-friendly than the equivalent industrial process.
Now, environmental concerns and climate change mitigation is putting red clover back in the spotlight. This requires genetic improvements to help boost its performance.
Red clover’s chief benefits (alongside soil improvement) is to provide a protein-rich livestock feed – it also boosts omega-3 fatty acids in ruminant milk. Compared to white clover and other legumes, red clover has high levels of an enzyme that causes its’ protein to be digested more slowly and effectively – it’s more nutritious per mouthful.
However, currently, red clover only grows well for two or three seasons and it does not recover well from grazing by livestock. It also does not lend itself easily to traditional crop breeding practices, with severe loss of vigour and fertility if inbred.
An ongoing project at EI and IBERS aims to use a collection of diverse natural lines of red clover for breeding new elite varieties more tolerant to grazing, thus making it more persistent, and to understand the domestication process that led to the adoption of red clover as a crop.
For the breeders, this draft genome provides a welcome tool, with which to speed up incorporation of traits that are beneficial for the clovers’ use in sustainable agriculture from natural populations of red clover plants sampled from all over Europe. Widening of the genetic diversity of the breeding populations will help to make red clover a more robust and reliable crop.
Therefore, the genome sequence promises to be a valuable platform for advances in studies of traits of biological and agronomic importance in forage crops.
Lead author Jose de Vega, researcher at EI, said: “The publication of the red clover reference genome is an important milestone, as it represents the first genome sequence of the clover forage crops, which are key components of more sustainable livestock agriculture.
“The availability of the genome assembly will pave the way towards genomics-assisted breeding methods for forage legumes, and provide a platform for deeper understanding of the genetics of forage crop domestication.”
“Red clover is attractive because of its high protein content, diversity and ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, but to enhance its role in sustainable agriculture requires improvements of persistency, disease resistance, and tolerance to grazing.”
Senior author and project leader Leif Skøt from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University said: “The red clover genome puts us in a great position to incorporate and build on this resource. We work closely with Dr David Lloyd, IBERS forage legume breeder, so we are using our genomic tools to assist in improving the precision and speed of breeding better red clover varieties. This is very timely as the importance of legumes in sustainable agriculture is “rediscovered”.
“The collaboration between EI and IBERS reinforces the UK's leadership in translating the development of genetic and genomic resources from fundamental science to applications with a potential impact on the local and national economy”.
The development of a more sustainable agriculture is a key aspect of the UK research strategy, positioning both Institute’s as international leaders in biotechnology specifically in the area of forage legumes. This is delivering impact to a broad range of stakeholders and ensuring that the genomics resources will be translated to research and breeding programmes.
The study entitled: "Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) draft genome provides a platform for trait improvement" is published in Scientific Reports, a journal of the Nature publishing group.
This work results from the partnership between, EI, IBERS and Germinal Holdings LTD, part funded by the latter through EI Capacity and Capability Challenge (CCC) programme, and a Responsive Mode award from the BBSRC.
IBERS and EI are strategically funded by BBSRC and EI operates a National Capability to promote the application of genomics and bioinformatics to advance bioscience research and innovation.
----
'''Red clover genome to help restore sustainable farming'''
*Source:http://www.earlham.ac.uk/newsroom/red-clover-genome-help-restore-sustainable-farming
:By Charlotte Jones/IBERS (Earlham Institute, co-authors)
Earlham Institute (EI) in collaboration with IBERS, has sequenced and assembled the DNA of red clover to help breeders improve the beneficial traits of this important forage crop. The genome is published in Scientific Reports, a journal from the Nature publishing group.
Before industrial nitrogen fertiliser production (from fossil fuels), red clover and other legume crops were essential in crop rotation, improving soil fertility. Legumes boost soil nitrate fertility by assimilating nitrogen from the air, recruiting soil bacteria to help – this is considerably more eco-friendly than the equivalent industrial process.
Now, environmental concerns and climate change mitigation is putting red clover back in the spotlight. This requires genetic improvements to help boost its performance.
Red clover’s chief benefits (alongside soil improvement) is to provide a protein-rich livestock feed – it also boosts omega-3 fatty acids in ruminant milk. Compared to white clover and other legumes, red clover has high levels of an enzyme that causes its’ protein to be digested more slowly and effectively – it’s more nutritious per mouthful.
However, currently, red clover only grows well for two or three seasons and it does not recover well from grazing by livestock. It also does not lend itself easily to traditional crop breeding practices, with severe loss of vigour and fertility if inbred.
An ongoing project at EI and IBERS aims to use a collection of diverse natural lines of red clover for breeding new elite varieties more tolerant to grazing, thus making it more persistent, and to understand the domestication process that led to the adoption of red clover as a crop.
For the breeders, this draft genome provides a welcome tool, with which to speed up incorporation of traits that are beneficial for the clovers’ use in sustainable agriculture from natural populations of red clover plants sampled from all over Europe. Widening of the genetic diversity of the breeding populations will help to make red clover a more robust and reliable crop.
Therefore, the genome sequence promises to be a valuable platform for advances in studies of traits of biological and agronomic importance in forage crops.
Lead author Jose de Vega, researcher at EI, said: “The publication of the red clover reference genome is an important milestone, as it represents the first genome sequence of the clover forage crops, which are key components of more sustainable livestock agriculture.
“The availability of the genome assembly will pave the way towards genomics-assisted breeding methods for forage legumes, and provide a platform for deeper understanding of the genetics of forage crop domestication.”
“Red clover is attractive because of its high protein content, diversity and ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, but to enhance its role in sustainable agriculture requires improvements of persistency, disease resistance, and tolerance to grazing.”
Senior author and project leader Leif Skøt from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University said: “The red clover genome puts us in a great position to incorporate and build on this resource. We work closely with Dr David Lloyd, IBERS forage legume breeder, so we are using our genomic tools to assist in improving the precision and speed of breeding better red clover varieties. This is very timely as the importance of legumes in sustainable agriculture is “rediscovered”.
“The collaboration between EI and IBERS reinforces the UK's leadership in translating the development of genetic and genomic resources from fundamental science to applications with a potential impact on the local and national economy”.
The development of a more sustainable agriculture is a key aspect of the UK research strategy, positioning both Institute’s as international leaders in biotechnology specifically in the area of forage legumes. This is delivering impact to a broad range of stakeholders and ensuring that the genomics resources will be translated to research and breeding programmes.
The study entitled: "Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) draft genome provides a platform for trait improvement" is published in Scientific Reports, a journal of the Nature publishing group.
This work results from the partnership between, EI, IBERS and Germinal Holdings LTD, part funded by the latter through EI Capacity and Capability Challenge (CCC) programme, and a Responsive Mode award from the BBSRC.
IBERS and EI are strategically funded by BBSRC and EI operates a National Capability to promote the application of genomics and bioinformatics to advance bioscience research and innovation.
----
'''JewelWeed and Benefits of Red Clover Leaf, Blossoms, and Tea'''
*Source:http://www.healthynewage.com/plant/
:(Healthy New Age)
Red Clover is an easily grown plant, from seed or root cuttings, and requires little attention.
The long root is rhizome, and sends out runners, producing several stems 1 to 2 feet high, slightly hairy; leaves
ternate, leaflets ovate, slightly toothed, ending in long point often lighter colored V shape in center, flowers
red to purple, fragrant, in dense terminal ovoid or round heads.
The red clover plant blooms from April thought out
the summer months.
It’s technical name is: Trifolium pratense. Other names include: Meadow Honeysuckle
:• Meadow Trefoil
:• Peavine clover
:• Purple Clover
:• Trefoil
:• Wild Clover
:• Cleaver Grass
:• Marl Grass
:• Cow Grass
It’s natural habitat for Trifolium pratense, the perennial herb where its origin is believed to be Britain. This
is where it is abundant. Although, it is now a world wide plant and is naturalized in nearly every country, even
the Arctic Circle and high up into mountains.
It also has unique properties as Red Clover leaf and blossoms are edible and medicinal, the young leaves and new
flowers are harvested, and are very nutritious, used in salads, soups, or as a pot herb. The sprouted seeds are edible
in salads and have a crisp texture and robust flavor. A delicate sweet and medicinal red clover tea is made from
the fresh or dried flowers, it is alterative, antiscrofulous, antispasmodic, aperient, detergent, diuretic, estrogenic,
expectorant, sedative and tonic.
Red Clover has also shown anticancer activity, poultices of the herb have been used as local applications to cancerous
growths. Internally, the Red Clover plant is used as an alternative medicine for skin complaints such as eczema and
psoriasis, cancers of the breast, ovaries and lymphatic system, chronic degenerative diseases, gout, whooping cough
and dry coughs.
Red clover is now involved in research for a certain medicinal alkaloid “slaframine” which
is often found in diseased clover, this substance has shown antidiabetic and anti-Aids activity.
The Folklore associated with this plant during the middle ages associated it as a charm to ward off evil spirits
and witches. The four leaf clover was said to have even more power against evil, a five leaf clover was said to be
worn by witches to give them evil powers, and a two leaf clover would give a maiden the power to see her future lover.
:Try This Recipe
Red clover medicinal tea: To 1 tbls. dry flowers or herb add 1 cup boiling water, steep 10 min., sweeten to taste,
drink warm for cough and upset stomach.
:“Jewelweed” A Natural Remedy for Winter Dry Skin
Jewelweed is an effective natural herbal remedy and offers immediate relief for winter dry skin, poison ivy, poison
oak, okra spines, stinging nettle, and other irritating plants; as well as bug bites and razor burn. Jewelweed is
also used in herbal medicine for acne, heat rash, ringworm and many other skin disorders.
A native plant of Eastern North America, Jewelweed grows in damp woods. Also known as “touch-me-nots” because
the oblong seed capsules when ripe, will explode at the slightest touch, scattering the seeds widely. The soothing
sap of the plant is clinically proven to be medicinal and a remedy for relief of many skin problems. Keep Jewelweed
spray handy during the summer months too, for sunburns.
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'''Red Clover Benefits or Uses for Skin, Hair and Health'''
*Source:http://www.stylishwalks.com/red-clover-benefits-uses-skin-hair-health/
:(Nikitha, stylishwalks)
Red clover is similar to alfa alfa and people often mistake it for alfa alfa. But the leaves of red clover are greener. However these two herbs have same flavour. Red cover has lots of health benefits as well as skin and hair benefits.
Red clover is a wild, leguminous and perennial herb. It is the native of Africa, Europe and Western Asia. Now it is seen in many regions of the world. The flowers of this herb are tiny and pink in colour. It has a sweet taste and is edible. It is added as a flavouring agent and for garnishing salads and beverages. The leaves of this plant are green in colour and are alternate and trifoliate. Each leaf is about 15 mm to 30 mm long and 8mm to 15 mm broad. The outer half of the leaf has a crescent shape. The leaves of this herb are used for making sweet herbal tea. This has therapeutic uses.
Red clover also known with these alternate names:
Trifolium, Cow Clover, Trefoil, Purple clover, meadow clover, Wild clover, Beebread, Clovone.
:Nutritional value of Red Clover:
Red clover contains isoflavones, which after it enters the body changes chemically into phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens can functionally imitate the estrogen hormone in the body. So, they are very beneficial for the body. The isoflavonoids help in maintaining the elasticity of the large arteries. This helps in boosting reproductive ability in post-menopausal women. It is loaded with vitamins and minerals like calcium, chromium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, thiamine, niacin, and Vitamin C.
:Benefits of Red Clover for Skin:
Red clover is one of the herbs that can provide you radiant and healthy skin. Below are given some of the benefits of this herb for the skin.
• Accelerates wound and burn haling:
Red clover has the ability to heal wounds and burns fast. All you have to do is to apply red clover topically in appropriate percentage on the wounds and burns. This helps them heal quickly.
• Reduce skin aging:
Menopause is often associated with lots of problems, such as loss of skin collagen, moisture and thickness. This is because of the reduced production of the female hormone called estrogen, which lead to the ‘hypoestrogenism effect’. Red clover is known for its estrogen effects. So it is very beneficial for retarding the process of aging of the skin. This way it helps in providing you young looking skin that is vibrant and radiant. It also makes sure that your skin remains thick and healthy. It ensures healthy keratinization and vascularity of the skin.
• Treats psoriasis and eczema:
If you are suffering from skin issues like psoriasis, eczema, skin ulcers etc, apply red clover in the form of cream or lotion topically on the affected area.
• Treats cancer:
Although it has not been proved medically that red clover can completely cure cancer, many researches made have suggested that it is effective for curing skin cancer. So, it acts as a supplementary to mainstream medicine.
:Benefits of Red clover for Hair:
• Makes hair strong:
Rinsing your hair with red clover tea is very beneficial for your hair as it contains isoflavones in high amounts. It also has the ability to prevent dandruff and scalp irritations, thereby keeping your hair strong. Using red clover tea regularly on your hair can make your hair soft and lustrous, adding more volume to your hair. It also helps in making our hair more manageable.
:Health and Medicinal Benefits of Red clover:
• Enhances immunity:
Red clover has the power to increase the immune system of the body. This way it helps in protecting you from asthma, cough, cold, whooping cough, bronchial asthma, respiratory infection, congestion in the chest and many other such ailments.
• Improves cardiovascular health:
Presence of isoflavones makes red clover great for the heart. It helps in increasing the level of HDL or good cholesterol in pre- and poet-menstrual women. According to research made, red clover is chemo-protective. This means that it can protect your body from the harmful actions caused by anti-cancer medications. It is also contains cumarin, which is a blood thinning compound. It is good for maintaining flexible and compliant arteries. This way it ensures that no blood clotting occurs and there is proper circulation of blood. However, if you are suffering from breast cancer, pregnant or already on anti-coagulants, then you should avoid consuming this herb.
• Improves menopausal symptoms:
Menopausal women suffer from various symptoms like nigh flashes, breast tenderness, nigh sweats etc. Red clover can provide you relief from these symptoms as well as from pre-menstrual symptoms. Many post-menstrual women are said to have been benefited by using this herb. It better that you consult your doctor before you use this herb.
• Prevents cancer:
The presence of isoflavones in red clover with its estrogen-effects helps in fighting against the cancerous cells in the body. Red cover has been said to be very effective for the preventing endometrial and prostate cancer.
• Prevents osteoporosis:
When the level of esrogen in the body is low, the risk of low bone density is very high in pre- as well as post-menstrual women. This can lead to osteoporosis. Isoflavones in red clover can mimic estrogen internally and help in increasing the bone-density and delaying the process of bone-depreciation.
• Treats infertility:
Consuming red clover is very beneficial for those suffering from low estrogen level, infertility, premature menopause and repeated miscarriage. This is because of the presence of isoflavones in this herb. However women who have excess of estrogen in their body, as in the case of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, endometriosis and uterine fibroids, should take care to avoid red clover.
You can consume red clover in many ways such as in the form of tea, capsules, tablets, tinctures and liquid extracts. However, make sure that they are prepared under the supervision of an expert.
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'''6 Health Benefits and Uses for Red Clover'''
*Source:http://www.care2.com/greenliving/6-health-benefits-and-uses-for-red-clover.html
:By Michelle Schoffro Cook
As a child I would spend hours on the lawn looking for four-leaved clovers, lucky charms that would make my dreams come true. Although I occasionally found a four-leafed and even one time a five-leafed clover, I can’t say what role, if any, these had in shaping the life I currently lead. But if clover brings luck, one way it may do so is through its health-giving properties.
:Breast Cancer Fighter
Red clover (Trifolium pratense) contains a natural compound known as formononetin that helps combat breast cancer. According to research published in the medical journal Hormone and Metabolic Research, formononetin helps prevent cancer cell migration and invasion of healthy cells so that the disease is less likely to spread. This research is significant not only for the promise of healing breast cancer but also because it challenges earlier recommendations against the use of clover. Previously, the herb was assumed to have effects similar to those of estrogen drugs, and people suffering from estrogen-aggravated cancers were advised to avoid this herb altogether. The new findings are controversial, however, so you should draw your own conclusions.
:Cancer Answer
Not just for breast cancer, according to herbalist Michael Castleman, author of The New Healing Herbs, 33 different cultures worldwide have used red clover as a general cancer treatment. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) confirms that red clover contains at least four anti-tumor compounds.
:Heart Disease Aid
Multiple studies show that red clover may help in the prevention and treatment of heart disease. Castleman indicates that red clover improves arterial elasticity, while a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that it also reduced high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol. Although the importance of blood cholesterol levels is debated, excessive amounts can still contribute to heart disease.
:Menopausal Marvel
While there is controversy over whether red clover alleviates menopausal symptoms, the herb seems to help women whose symptoms are linked to estrogen imbalances, as opposed to progesterone or testosterone imbalances. Many health practitioners seem to believe that all the symptoms of menopause can be addressed by a single type of treatment, but in my experience women experience difficult menopausal symptoms for different reasons, depending on which hormones are implicated, and red clover can be effective for who suffer from insufficient estrogen, especially those who experience hot flashes.
Red clover contains natural estrogenic substances known as isoflavones that can help boost low levels of estrogen in the body. Isoflavones can also attach to estrogen receptor sites in the body to help reduce estrogen levels when necessary, since they are much gentler than human estrogen or estrogens found in the foods we eat. A typical dose is two to three cups of red clover tea daily.
:Osteoporosis Option
Research published in the medical journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that the formononetin found in red clover helped prevent the development of osteoporosis in animals.
:Lung Health Remedy
It has also been used in Chinese medicine to expel mucus from the lungs.
The flowers can be plucked and dried for use in teas. Use 1 teaspoon of dried red clover flowers to one cup of boiled water and let steep for at least ten minutes. Drink three cups daily. When I lay out the flowers on a baking sheet, I find they air-dry quite quickly. Once they are completely dry, store in an airtight container for up to one year. Both the flowers and the leaves can be added to salads. Red clover sprouts make an excellent addition to sandwiches or salads. Red clover is also available in tincture form; a typical dose is 30 drops three times daily.
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'''Red Clover Blossom Vinegar Recipe'''
*Source:http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/red-clover-blossom-vinegar-recipe-zmaz71mjzgoe
:By James E. Churchill
I've heard that vinegar can be made by pouring 1 1/2 gallons of boiling water over one gallon of tightly packed red clover blooms. Let the mixture stand overnight and strain out the blossoms. Add one pound of brown sugar and 1 1/2 pints molasses. Dissolve one cake yeast in 1/2 pint water and add that also. Place the mixture in a stone crock and let it stand in a warm room until it sours. This takes awhile as the sugar must turn to alcohol and the alcohol to acetic acid. One thing that might speed the process is a very large stone crock that exposes more of the solution to the air.
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'''Red Clover Health Benefits, Including Cancer Prevention!'''
*Source:http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/red-clover-health-benefits-including-cancer-prevention/
:(Underground Health Reporter)
Did You Know…that Red Clover is an age-old folk remedy and a promising cancer treatment?
Every well-stocked medicine cabinet should have either a tincture of red clover or red clover tea.  Here’s why:  Red clover is a member of the legume family, and, like its relatives soy, lentils, and astragalus, it can repair damaged DNA, switch off genes that have the potential to turn healthy cells into tumor cells, and reverse pre-cancers and early stage cancers.
As a folk medicine, red clover has been used topically to treat skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis, enhance heart health, and alleviate the symptoms of menopause.  As a diuretic and expectorant, red clover helps eliminate excess fluid from the body, clear mucous from the lungs, and detoxify the liver, removing chemicals and heavy metals from our systems.
:Red Clover’s Cancer-Fighting Properties
Red clover is rich in key nutrients, including vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, chromium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, and thiamine.  It owes much of its cancer-fighting properties, however, to plant-based chemicals called isoflavones, which generate estrogen-like effects in the body and have been shown to help improve the symptoms of menopause, strengthen heart health, and help prevent osteoporosis.
Research has shown that isoflavones can help inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and in vitro tests reveal that isoflavones can trigger cancer cell death. Isoflavones are thought to be an especially effective weapon against breast, prostate, and endometrial cancers.
Many published studies attest to the cancer-fighting properties of key ingredients in red clover, including caffeic acid, biochanin-A, formononetin, genistein, isorhamnetin, and coumarin.
These compounds have been shown to stop the proliferation of cancer cells and even contribute to apoptosis (cancer cell death).
Coumarin doubles as a cancer fighter and a heart healthy phytochemical that acts as a blood thinner, especially effective against diseases such as thrombosis, in which thick blood blocks blood vessels and impedes blood flow. If you are already taking blood-thinning medication, however, it’s best not to supplement with red clover tea due to the proven blood-thinning effects.
Red clover has also demonstrated a beneficial effect on lowering blood pressure and raising HDL “healthful” cholesterol.
:Red Clover Tea
Red clover is a popular ingredient in many tea medley blends.  You can also purchase full blend red clover tea, or even make your own if red clover grows in your garden.Red clover is a powerful herb and can interact negatively with many prescription medications.  Please consult your medical doctor before adding it to your daily regimen.  Health experts advise that red clover should not be taken by pregnant women or women taking birth control pills.
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'''Sources of Isoflavones'''
*Source:http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/sources-isoflavones-8295.html
:By Erica Kannall
In small doses, isoflavones may help prevent heart disease and breast cancer while providing high-quality, vegetarian protein. Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, or plant estrogen, that mimics the hormone in your body. The three forms of isoflavone are daidzein, genistein and glycitein, but you'll usually hear them all referred to as phytoestrogens. These compounds are found only in plants, such as soy and red clover.
:Soy
Soy is the greatest food source of isoflavones, and these compounds are responsible for many of soy's health-promoting qualities. Soy milk, whole soybeans, soy flour, tofu, soy nuts and soy nut butter contain the highest concentration of isoflavones. The National Institutes of Health notes that eating soy can help lower cholesterol and reduce symptoms of menopause, and it may reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, breast cancer and prostate cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that eating 25 grams of soy per day may reduce the risk of heart disease.
:Red Clover
Red clover is a good source of isoflavones. You can eat clover flowers in salads or stir fries, but they are rather tough. Instead, try blending the flowers into a smoothie. The dried flowers can be taken as tea, tincture, capsule or tablet. Taking red clover may reduce symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats, due to its isoflavone content.
:Other Foods
Green tea, split peas, pigeon peas, peanuts, chickpeas, lima beans, fava beans, lentils and flaxseeds also contain isoflavones. The concentration of isoflavones in these foods is extremely low when compared to soybeans. Foods made primarily from soy contain 120 to 170 milligrams of isoflavones per 100 grams of the product, whereas the legumes, nuts and seeds contain only 1 to 2 milligrams of isoflavones per 100 grams. Processed meat and meat substitute products often contain soy as a filler and have varying amounts of isoflavones.
:Precautions with Isoflavones
Red clover may increase the effects of birth control pills and hormone replacement therapies. If you're being treated for breast cancer, talk to you health care provider prior to increasing your intake of isoflavones. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine states that the long-term effects of isoflavones on health are unknown and also notes that women who are at increased risk for developing breast cancer, or other hormone-sensitive cancers, should be cautious when eating soy.
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'''Red clover genome to help restore sustainable farming'''
*Source:http://www.mvmagazine.com/news/2009/07/01/summer%E2%80%99s-wild-edibles
:(Earlham Institute)
Earlham Institute (EI) in collaboration with IBERS, has sequenced and assembled the DNA of red clover to help breeders improve the beneficial traits of this important forage crop. The genome is published in Scientific Reports, a journal from the Nature publishing group.
Before industrial nitrogen fertiliser production (from fossil fuels), red clover and other legume crops were essential in crop rotation, improving soil fertility. Legumes boost soil nitrate fertility by assimilating nitrogen from the air, recruiting soil bacteria to help – this is considerably more eco-friendly than the equivalent industrial process.
Now, environmental concerns and climate change mitigation is putting red clover back in the spotlight. This requires genetic improvements to help boost its performance.
Red clover’s chief benefits (alongside soil improvement) is to provide a protein-rich livestock feed – it also boosts omega-3 fatty acids in ruminant milk. Compared to white clover and other legumes, red clover has high levels of an enzyme that causes its’ protein to be digested more slowly and effectively – it’s more nutritious per mouthful.
However, currently, red clover only grows well for two or three seasons and it does not recover well from grazing by livestock. It also does not lend itself easily to traditional crop breeding practices, with severe loss of vigour and fertility if inbred.
An ongoing project at EI and IBERS aims to use a collection of diverse natural lines of red clover for breeding new elite varieties more tolerant to grazing, thus making it more persistent, and to understand the domestication process that led to the adoption of red clover as a crop.
For the breeders, this draft genome provides a welcome tool, with which to speed up incorporation of traits that are beneficial for the clovers’ use in sustainable agriculture from natural populations of red clover plants sampled from all over Europe. Widening of the genetic diversity of the breeding populations will help to make red clover a more robust and reliable crop.
Therefore, the genome sequence promises to be a valuable platform for advances in studies of traits of biological and agronomic importance in forage crops.
Lead author Jose de Vega, researcher at EI, said: “The publication of the red clover reference genome is an important milestone, as it represents the first genome sequence of the clover forage crops, which are key components of more sustainable livestock agriculture.
“The availability of the genome assembly will pave the way towards genomics-assisted breeding methods for forage legumes, and provide a platform for deeper understanding of the genetics of forage crop domestication.”
“Red clover is attractive because of its high protein content, diversity and ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, but to enhance its role in sustainable agriculture requires improvements of persistency, disease resistance, and tolerance to grazing.”
Senior author and project leader Leif Skøt from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University said: “The red clover genome puts us in a great position to incorporate and build on this resource. We work closely with Dr David Lloyd, IBERS forage legume breeder, so we are using our genomic tools to assist in improving the precision and speed of breeding better red clover varieties. This is very timely as the importance of legumes in sustainable agriculture is “rediscovered”.
“The collaboration between EI and IBERS reinforces the UK's leadership in translating the development of genetic and genomic resources from fundamental science to applications with a potential impact on the local and national economy”.
The development of a more sustainable agriculture is a key aspect of the UK research strategy, positioning both Institute’s as international leaders in biotechnology specifically in the area of forage legumes. This is delivering impact to a broad range of stakeholders and ensuring that the genomics resources will be translated to research and breeding programmes.
The study entitled: "Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) draft genome provides a platform for trait improvement" is published in Scientific Reports, a journal of the Nature publishing group.
This work results from the partnership between, EI, IBERS and Germinal Holdings LTD, part funded by the latter through EI Capacity and Capability Challenge (CCC) programme, and a Responsive Mode award from the BBSRC.
IBERS and EI are strategically funded by BBSRC and EI operates a National Capability to promote the application of genomics and bioinformatics to advance bioscience research and innovation.
Images: Six red clover varieties with diverse architectures and traits have recently been selected as parents of the next-year generation, after positive field trails in IBERS last summer that scored plants from around Europe. These activities are part of the project "Comparative population genomics of red clover domestication and improvement" funded by BBSRC. Credit: Charlotte Jones/IBERS (Co-author of the study).
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'''Summer’s Wild Edibles'''
*Source:http://www.mvmagazine.com/news/2009/07/01/summer%E2%80%99s-wild-edibles
:By Holly Bellenuono & Catherine Walthers
Our series on the variety of foods and ingredients you can find on the Island – in your backyard, in fields, in forests, and on beaches – continues with summer’s tasty treats. Plus recipes for rose-hip soup, a salad with fresh raspberries, and sumac lemonade.
While you’re enjoying the beach and the sun, be sure to include nature’s summer bounty in your day. It’s easy to locate and harvest many useful wild plants on the Vineyard, and even easier to make delicious food and drinks with them. Here are the descriptions you need to find tasty flowers and nutritious greens to go with every meal of the day.
:Beach peas
In the spring, the beach pea plant (Lathyrus maritimus) has beautiful purple or fuchsia flowers amid the pale green leaves. If you look at the same plants again in July and August, you’ll often see hanging pods (similar to common garden pea pods) with three to eight small peas inside. Since the peas are undersized, it might take too much time to collect for a meal, but they taste like regular peas and can be eaten and cooked in the same way. Beach pea tendrils, located at the tip of the plant, can be snipped and lightly steamed. Look for the beach peas on both the south- and north-shore beaches, in the dunes and around high-tide marks, or along beach paths. Collecting the peas is a good activity for kids inclined toward foraging.
:Burdock and yellow dock
Burdock (Arctium lappa) leaves are silvery green, wide, and wavy; its cousin yellow dock (Rumex crispus) has long, narrow, and often speckled, reddish-brown leaves. While they look different, they are generally found growing in the same poor- to medium-quality soil (such as along roadsides and yard edges) and the roots are used in a similar manner: chopped and eaten in stir-fries, or soaked in vinegar to create a mineral-rich salad dressing. Their roots, which are quite difficult to dig up but well worth it, are valuable sources of iron.
:Cat brier
The trails throughout up-Island are rampant by mid-summer with a looping, climbing vine that leans out into the path with tiny twisting tips. This is cat brier (Smilax rotundifolia). As the species name implies, the leaves are rounded; they are leathery and slightly heart-shaped, coming to a point at the tip. Those swaying tips that reach out to brush against you as you hike the trail are actually edible, and the last three inches of the tips make a succulent, crunchy addition to salads. The small flowers elsewhere on the plant are nondescript and not edible, and in the fall they put forth tiny, blue berries that are also not edible. Cat brier is considered an emergency food – useful to know if you are ever lost.
:Irish moss
Irish moss seaweed can be found on many New England shores and is a red algae. The fronds are generally three to six inches long and sport a deep reddish-purple or green color. These forked and curled fronds grow in clusters, and have no sacks on them like you see on bladder wrack. (Other seaweeds are edible, by the way, but bladder wrack is not as tasty.) Irish moss (Chondrus crispus) contains carrageenan and is used commercially as a thickener as it has the wonderful ability to make liquids gel. Many foods can benefit from a little nutritious Irish moss added in: soups, puddings, chilled salads. There’s even a recipe for Irish moss lemonade in A Foraging Vacation: Edibles from Maine’s Sea and Shore by Raquel Boeh-mer (Down East Books, 1982). The best way to experiment with Irish moss is to gather it fresh and dry it on large screens – outdoors in shade or indoors in a well-ventilated space or even in an oven on very low heat. Once all the water is gone, store it in sealed bags. When ready to use, shake the seaweed to remove excess sand, and reconstitute by washing in several changes of water before cooking it. Or, if using fresh plants, wash in several changes of water and simmer on low heat in whatever recipe you choose (the plant must be cooked prior to eating it). Small amounts are generally called for.
Quick recipe:
• Irish moss pudding
To make pudding, use a 1/2 cup of fresh Irish moss to set a quart of milk. Wash the seaweed in cold water for 10 minutes before placing it in cheesecloth that you suspend in the milk. Simmer for 30 minutes. Squeeze the cheesecloth to release the carrageenan before removing it from the milk. Add a 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of nutmeg, cocoa, or coffee for flavor. Pour into bowls and chill for 1 hour.
• Lamb’s-quarters
Nearly every garden on the Vineyard sprouts lamb’s-quarters (Chenopodium album), which, if given the chance, can provide many meals. In your garden or anywhere the soil is disturbed, look for silvery green plants with serrated leaves growing alternately up the stem; upper leaves are smooth and the entire plant has a mealy, dusty appearance. This “dust” will rub off on your fingertips and sparkle like silver, though it in no way affects the flavor or safety of this valuable wild food. The leaves are delicious and nutty eaten raw, or they can be steamed as a vegetable. Some people boil them, but this can make them slimy and disagreeable. Raw, however, they provide the same nutritional content as spinach. Later in the season, as lamb’s-quarter grows to six feet or taller and has developed tiny brown seed clusters, harvest the seeds; these are highly nutritious and can be used in a variety of ways: Sprinkle them on your oatmeal; use them as you would TVP (textured vegetable protein) in stir-fries; mix them with hamburger or turkey meat for your burgers; or grind them in a mill to the consistency of flour, and use in a one-to-one ratio with your normal wheat flour. This vital plant is all-too-often pulled out as a weed; instead, put it to use all season long.
• Purslane
Fat, juicy leaves are often neglected when choosing wild foods, but they are prized among those who seek mild tasty treats. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) often grows in gardens and in shady, cultivated places, and it is a creeper, so look for it spreading out among the vegetables or landscaping plants. It often shows one yellow flower near the top. The entire leaf is succulent and can be added whole to many raw dishes. This is one of those plants that is nice to snip, here and there as you work, to add to salads at mealtime, because the rounded, fat leaves add a sweet crunch. Many foragers harvest the nutritious leaves, but the stem can be eaten too, usually pickled, and the seeds can be ground to flour. (The seeds form just behind the flower, in the leaf cluster; they can be harvested after the flowers have dropped away, and hung in bunches in a paper bag to encourage ripening.) Chilmark gardener Elizabeth Gude likes using purslane and lamb’s-quarters as wild herbs for her salads. “Eat them raw,” she says. “Steaming them makes them lose their crunch, but raw they keep their texture and are delightful.”
:Raspberry (and blackberry)
All children know raspberries: those thimble-shaped, red sweet-tarts that grow on thorny branches. There is a quick trick to tell, before the fruit appears, if the branch is a raspberry or a blackberry (both Rubus spp.): Raspberry canes are bluish, while blackberry canes are green. Raspberry leaves also sport a soft green color on the upper side, but they are a bright silver underneath. Eat the berries of the second-year canes, but don’t neglect the leaves of the first year canes, which make a wonderfully nourishing tea. This tea has been valued by midwives for centuries for toning the uterus during pregnancy (these days there is some controversy about using it in the first trimester), but anyone can drink it. Extremely high in calcium, raspberry leaf tea has an astringent taste; if you enjoy dry bitter teas such as Earl Grey, you’ll likely enjoy raspberry leaf tea. Gather a handful of leaves at the same time you harvest some red clover and you’ll be able to serve a nutritious and naturally sweet tea within ten minutes. Raspberry and blackberry roots have been used medicinally for centuries as strong astringents, useful for dysentery and cleansing.
:Red clover
If you are fortunate enough to participate in Whippoorwill Farm, the Island’s community-supported agriculture program, be sure to notice all the red clover (Trifolium pratense) blossoms at the farm. Look for the fat, pinkish-red, globe-shaped blossoms atop a tall hairless stalk; just below the flower sit three clover-shaped leaves. Harvest the entire top, which includes the flower and the leaves directly beneath it to a depth of two to three inches, to make a tea that is so mineral-rich many herbalists consider it a fertility tonic. Valued for its ability to heal eczema in children, as well as to treat bronchitis and whooping cough, red-clover tea can also be drunk by anyone who wants to enjoy its naturally sweet, honey flavor. Gardeners plant this member of the leg-ume family, since the roots fix nitrogen in the soil. Marie Scott, a forager and farmer who grew up on the Vineyard and now winters in Vermont, gathers red-clover tops all season and blends them with nettle (that she harvests in the spring), horsetail (that she finds along the cliffs of Vineyard beaches), and raspberry leaves; she combines them for a calcium- and silica-rich bone-strengthening tea. “While I’m at it,” she says, “I’ll throw in some peppermint and ginger” for a flavorful brew. “A naturopath initially gave me the tea, but I realized I could harvest many of the herbs myself.” To prepare the tea, boil the blossoms and leaves in water, steep for ten minutes, and strain.
:Roses
Many people think of Aquinnah and Oak Bluffs for their fantastic displays of wild roses; these are ready to harvest right now, and not only for your flower vase. Roses are useful medicinally for our bodies and the petals are tasty as food. And not just those large, golf-ball-sized rose hips of Rosa rugosa, but in fact any rose species can be harvested for its hips, which are high in tannin, pectin, carotene, fruit acids, and fatty oil, and are prized for their high content of vitamin C. Chop the hips and cover with boiling water to brew a zesty tea, or remove the seeds and hairs to make a heavenly syrup to pour on pancakes, éclairs, and even frittatas. Brew a handful of rose petals for a delicate, calming tea that goes beautifully with afternoon sugar cookies, or use them to make a syrup (much milder than hip syrup). The fragrant rose petals can also be sprinkled on fruit salads or dipped in a light sugar syrup, laid flat, and allowed to dry to make delicious candies. For a delectable brunch, include some of these unique candies in your next batch of homemade granola, add yogurt, and top it off with fresh fruit and rose-hip syrup. Gather the rose petals from an area where you know they have not been sprayed with chemicals.
:Summer wild edibles recipes
• Arugula salad with fresh raspberries and balls of goat cheese and walnuts
Peppery, dark green arugula, fresh from the farmer’s market, along with pale green lettuce leaves and sweet-tart fresh raspberries is a refreshing change from other everyday salads. Wild blackberries or blueberries can also be added or substituted for raspberries.
Serves 4
:• 6 cups baby arugula, rinsed and dried
:• 1 small head of bibb or Boston lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces (about 2 cups)
:• 6 ounces goat cheese
:• 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted for 5 minutes in a 350-degree oven
:• Honey-raspberry balsamic vinaigrette, recipe follows
:• 1 cup fresh raspberries
1. In a wide salad bowl, combine the arugula and lettuce.
2. With your hands (and some disposable plastic gloves if handy), roll the goat cheese into small balls, approximately 1/2-inch in diameter, and place on a piece of wax or parchment paper on a plate. Place walnuts in a food processor and pulse to finely chop. Place chopped walnuts on a plate and roll the goat cheese balls to completely cover, pressing to get a nice coating of walnuts. Place the cheese balls back on the wax or parchment paper and refrigerate, covered in plastic wrap, until ready to serve the salad.
3. Before serving, add just enough vinaigrette to coat the leaves, and mix well. (Reserve leftover dressing for another salad.) Top with raspberries and walnut-cheese balls.
• Honey-raspberry balsamic vinaigrette
:• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
:• 6 raspberries
:• 2 to 3 teaspoons Island honey
:• 2 teaspoons minced shallot
:• 1/2 cup olive oil
:• Salt and pepper to taste
1. In a food processor, add the vinegar, raspberries, honey, and shallot, and blend for a few seconds. Add in the oil, salt, and pepper to taste and pulse two or three times to combine.
• Rose-hip soup
The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook by Louise Tate King and Jean Stewart Wexler, originally published in 1971 and re-released last year in its fourth edition (Globe Pequot Press), has a chapter dedicated to wild foods. In the spirit of delectable fruit soups, this one uses a wild fruit available in the summer season to anyone on Martha’s Vineyard who seeks it out. Dressed up with sour cream and a bit of nutmeg, this rose-hip soup makes an elegant first course.
Serves 4
:• 3 cups rose hips
:• 6 cups water
:• 1/2 cup sugar
:• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
:• 1 tablespoon water
:• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
:• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
:• 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
:• 4 tablespoons sour cream
:• More ginger or nutmeg, to garnish
1. Pick over rose hips, using only fully ripened fruit for measuring. Rinse well; remove stem and bud ends. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine rose hips and water, bring to a boil, and cook over moderate heat for 25 minutes (do not boil too fast or too much water will evaporate). Let fruit cool slightly, then put through a food mill. Measure pulp; if necessary, add enough water to make 3 cups puréed fruit.
2. Put pulp in a smaller saucepan, add sugar, stir well, and bring to a low boil. Mix the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water thoroughly, and stir slowly into fruit mixture. Continue to stir slowly until mixture comes to a low boil again. Cook, still at reduced heat, about 2 minutes, until soup thickens evenly. Turn off heat; stir in lemon juice, rind, and ginger. Let soup cool, then refrigerate until well chilled.
3. To serve, top each portion with a tablespoon of sour cream and a dash of ginger or grated nutmeg.
• Yellow dock and burdock vinegar
This mineral-rich vinegar can be sprinkled on steamed greens and vegetables, or mixed with oil to make a salad dressing. Use as much parsley and herbs as you like; parsley is included, because like the roots, it is also high in iron.
Makes 3 cups
:• 1 yellow dock root, 5 to 7 inches in length
:• 1 burdock root, 5 to 8 inches in length
:• 3 cups apple cider vinegar
:• 2 tablespoons honey
:• Parsley
:• Fresh herbs as desired: basil, oregano, rosemary, all chopped
1. Thoroughly wash the roots and chop into tiny pieces. Rinse again. Place chopped roots into a (non-aluminum, preferably glass) quart jar.
2. Heat vinegar to lightly simmering and pour onto roots. Add honey, parsley, and any other herbs, and cap tightly. Keep in mind that vinegar may rust the lid; keep the jar on a dish in case of any oozing overflow and shake it daily for 1 to 4 weeks. The longer it steeps, the more iron is infused into the vinegar.
3. Strain through cheesecloth or a strainer and return vinegar to jar.
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'''Red Clover for Erosion Control'''
*Source:http://homeguides.sfgate.com/red-clover-erosion-control-70176.html
:By Sarah Moore
Soil loss to air and water is a major problem for some gardeners, especially if your yard is exposed to high winds or heavy rain. Erosion can also be a problem if your garden is particularly dry and tends to get dusty during hot weather. Sowing red clover can help eliminate erosion problems, especially in conjunction with other plants that aid in soil retention.
:Identification
Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is not actually red, but emerald green with pinkish-red flowers in the summer. Its traditional clover shape is made even more interesting by a white V pattern across the center of each leaf. It grows well in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9, and it is a short-lived perennial, averaging a lifespan of two to four years, though it will self-seed if left in place.
:Culture
Usually seeded in autumn in warmer climates, red clover is quick to establish and will take root even if simply scattered across the soil. Ideally, however, it prefers a planting depth of 1/4 inch. Though most home gardeners will not need to cover nearly so much ground, it should be planted at a density of 6-12 pounds of seed per acre. If you wish, you can also seed in early spring.
:Erosion Control
Many gardens contain large patches of soil that are typically given over to annuals or vegetables, but left bare during the fall and winter seasons. These areas are especially susceptible to erosion, usually by rain or wind in warmer climates. When sown on soil that would otherwise be left naked, the red clover root system holds soil in place, preventing it from running off and even reducing surface water pollution.
:Other Uses
Red clover is a legume and can be used to fix nitrogen in soils of poor quality. It is often sown as a cover crop over the winter, even in home gardens, to replace nutrients taken out by vegetables or grains. Especially when tilled into the ground in early spring, it contributes useful organic matter to soil intended for vegetables or even ornamentals. Red clover can loosen and enrich it soil that has a tendency to get packed and dusty.
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'''Is Clover an Alternative Groundcover?'''
*Source:http://homeguides.sfgate.com/clover-alternative-groundcover-74639.html
:By Eulalia Palomo
Some clovers (Trifolium spp.) work well as a groundcover, making them a suitable alternative to other low-growing groundcover perennials. Select slow-spreading, low-growing perennial clover varieties to use as a groundcover in the garden. Perennial clover grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 10, depending on the species.
:Role of a Good Groundcover
A good groundcover does just that: It covers the soil, visually eliminating bare spots in the garden by filling in between larger shrubs, landscape trees and perennials. But a groundcover is more than just visual; it also helps reduce weeds that would thrive in bare soil, and the groundcover helps slow evaporation and keep more moisture in the soil. Disturbed, bare soil on slopes or hillsides is unstable, but a groundcover like clover can help support the soil and slow erosion.
:Benefits and Drawbacks
Clover belongs to the legume plant family (Fabaceae), and, like other legumes, clover fixes nitrogen in the soil, actively increasing the nutrient levels in the garden. Perennial clover varieties create a fast-growing, dense web of roots and plant material over disturbed soil, keeping it in place. Planting clover in the garden will also help attract bees and other pollinators. Clover can, however, be highly invasive in some areas, as it spreads rapidly by seed and from the roots.
:Annual or Perennial
Clover species can be either annuals or perennials. Once established, perennial clover comes back reliably, making it more suitable as a groundcover than annual species that usually need reseeding each year. Perennial clover will self-seed too, but it spreads consistently through its creeping root system. Some perennial clovers will die back in hot or cold weather, but new growth will emerge from the roots the following growing season.
:Red Clover
Red clover (Trifolium pratense) grows in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 and warmer. In areas with hot summers, red clover grows as a cool-season annual that dies back in summer. These clovers are more often grown, and better suited, as a cover crop in gardens and on farmland and as forage crops for livestock than as ornamental groundcovers. They grow 1 to 3 feet tall with a leggy growth habit not well suited as an effective groundcover. Red clover is also considered highly invasive in some areas.
:Dwarf White Clover
The dwarf white clover (Trifolium repens) is an ideal clover for use as a groundcover. It grows just 3 to 6 inches tall with a spreading, mat-forming growth habit. White dwarf clover will grow both in sun and part shade. This perennial clover grows in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 10. While dwarf white clover does spread, and is considered invasive in some areas, it is less invasive than many other clover varieties.
:Cultivars to Try
For variations on the common green foliage of dwarf white clover, there are several cultivars to try. The cultivar "Dragon's Blood" (Trifolium repens "Dragon's Blood") grows 3 inches tall with a creeping, spreading growth habit. The variegated leaves are green and white with splashes of red. This cultivar grows in USDA zones 4 through 9. For warmer areas, the cultivar "Dark Dancer" (Trifolium repens "Atropurpureum") grows in USDA zones 4 through 10. This 3- to 8-inch-tall clover has variegated leaves that are deep purple and appear black.
----
'''How to Germinate Red Clover'''
*Source:http://homeguides.sfgate.com/germinate-red-clover-23545.html
:By Daniel Thompson
Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is a fast growing member of the legume family that germinates easily under most conditions. Red clover is often used as a cover crop and natural fertilizer to add nitrogen to the soil over the winter. This plant is tolerant of shade and grows under a variety of conditions that make it ideal for growing in conjunction with other garden crops. Red clover sown alongside corn rows will naturally fertilizer the nearby corn plants and limit erosion in your garden.
:Seed Treatment
If you plan on using your red clover as a natural method of fertilization, you will need to innoculate the seeds with rhizobium first. This bacteria is a necessary part of the natural process that red clover uses to transfer nitrogen from the atmosphere to the soil. Rhizobium is available from many seed distributors.
:Sowing Times
Red clover sown during the fall uses the nitrogen-fixing capabilities of red clover to prepare the soil for the next year's crop. Plant your fall red clover crop at least 6 weeks before the first frost. This allows your red clover time to germinate and establish a healthy level of growth.
:Overseeding
In gardens with established crops you can use a broadcast spreader to spread red clover over the surface of your garden between your garden rows. Establish your other garden plants first to ensure that they are not competing with the clover. Rake the spaces between your rows and seed the red clover between each one at a rate of one ounce per 226 square feet. Apply a fertilizer high in nitrogen between your existing garden rows before you overseed your garden with clover, to promote growth after it germinates.
:Sowing Seeds
Red clover seeds germinate readily in bare ground when they are planted at a depth between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch. Seeds that are planted deeper than 1/2 an inch may not germinate. Use a roto-tiller or hoe to create rows in your garden that are less than 1/2 an inch deep. Space your rows within an inch of each other to create a dense cover of red clover. Sow your seeds into each row at a rate of one ounce for every 453 square feet of ground. Cover the seeds with a layer of dirt no more than a 1/4 of an inch thick.
:Considerations and Care
Red clover requires very little maintenance and grows best without fertilizer. If your area is experiencing persistently dry weather, water your seeds enough to thoroughly moisten the surrounding soil. Red clover grows in most types of soil but it performs best in well drained, loamy soils with a pH rating above 6. Consider adding a layer of topsoil to your garden if you are having trouble establishing your clover in sandy or rocky soil.
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'''Ask the Herbalist: 5 Herbs for Women’s Health '''
*Source:http://www.arthliving.com/Health-and-Wellness/ask-the-herbalist-5-herbs-for-womens-health
:By Jaclyn Chasse
Q. Which herbs are especially helpful for women?
A. Every woman is intimately tied to nature. The menstrual cycle follows the cycle of the moon, ebbing and flowing every 28 days, in most cases. A woman’s body can grow and change, like the earth, to hold the life that grows within. And like the soil below us, a woman’s body can assimilate the nutrients needed to grow the perfect food for her children. Perhaps this connection with the cycles of nature has something to do with the powerful relationship that plants can have in supporting the health of women. For thousands of years, herbs have been consumed as part of rituals of menstruation and as part of supporting a woman through her transitions into puberty, motherhood and menopause. And today, botanical medicines provide potent medicine for modern women. Here are five herbs I think are well-suited to women’s health.
:Chaste Tree Berry (Vitex agnus-castus)
Vitex is one of the best herbs to support a woman’s menstrual cycle. Vitex has a powerful action as a hormone balancer by supporting good communication between the brain and the ovaries, so that the ovaries can produce healthy levels of estrogen and progesterone. Vitex is best consumed in its tincture form. Although the taste is strong, the result is powerful, especially for women with short menstrual cycles, trouble conceiving, cramping and PMS.
:Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Red clover is the most concentrated source of phytoestrogens, or substances in the plant that look like the body’s own hormone, estrogen. This can be helpful when estrogen levels are low (such as during menopause), especially when used in combination with black cohosh. Red clover can help with the hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness that can occur when estrogen levels drop. It has a very pleasant taste and can be steeped in a tea. The best part of this plant is that many of us have it in our yard. If you don’t use pesticides or herbicides, you can pick and brew the plants right out of your lawn.
:Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)
This plant is not as well-known in the United States. However, in India most women incorporate the plant into their health regime. The translation of the plant’s name, shatavari, is “the plant for the woman with 1,000 husbands.” In addition to a balancing effect on women’s hormones, it also helps to support healthy energy levels and a healthy sex drive. It can support fertility and also soothe damaged vaginal tissue. The plant is traditionally consumed before bedtime as a powder mixed into warm milk.
:Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)
The flower essence of black cohosh is prescribed for “knowing and trusting in one’s inner strength and resources.” The most commonly prescribed herb for menopause, black cohosh can be helpful to manage the hot flashes, fatigue and irritability that sometimes accompany menopause. It also has a mild mood-lifting effect. The root is the most active part of the black cohosh plant and can be consumed as a tincture, as a tea or in capsules.
:Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum)
Holy basil, also called tulsi, has fantastic stress-managing properties. It can help lower the levels of stress hormones like cortisol in the body. It is very calming and grounding, and can help with mental clarity, especially for mothers who are multitasking and under a lot of stress. Holy basil makes a wonderful tea and can also be taken as a tincture or capsule.
Women’s health can be complex, as multiple hormones interact with one another. Herbal medicines can make sure that the environment is right so that the hormones behave as they should and nothing gets out of hand. The use of these herbs, and many more, can be supportive to women in all phases of life.
:Did You Know
Nourish and tone the female body with this light and refreshing tonic for women, recommended by Rosemary Gladstar, author of Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health (Storey Publishing, 2008). Combine 2 parts lemon balm, nettle, peppermint or spearmint, and raspberry leaf; 1 part milky oats; and stevia to taste. Steep in boiling water 30 to 60 minutes. Drink 3 to 4 cups daily.
:Read This!
For an in-depth reference, pick up Botanical Medicine for Women’s Health (Churchill Livingstone, 2009) by Aviva Romm. Winner of the James A. Duke in Botanical Literature Award, this reference blends folklore and recent scientific evidence.
----
'''6 Healthy Herbs You Can Add to Your Tea'''
*Source:https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/culture/health-wellness/6-healthy-herbs-you-can-add-to-your-tea/
:By Christina Rose
Charge up your iced tea with common herbs and plants to boost your health and immune system, and help you ward off colds and flus, cramps, stomach ailments, and more. Add them to iced or hot tea for a refreshing and healthy beverage.
All of the ingredients below have a history of being used for healing purposes. According to chef Nephi Craig, White Mountain Apache and Navajo, “Pre-contact, we were expert farmers, hunters, gatherers, fishermen and cooks.”
While these herbs could be bought at a health food store, there is a reason to forage for them. Tom Seymour, author of Foraging New England: Edible Wild Food And Medicinal Plants, said that in every instance, wild plants are more nutritious than cultivated plants. Wild plants grow on soil of their own choosing, rather than cultivated plants, which are forced to grow where they are put, he said.
There are thousands of different plants that will yield a delicious and healthy tea. Here are some of the most highly recognizable. Ask your elders if you are curious about more. Also, make sure all plants are gathered from an area that has not been exposed to pesticides or toxic chemicals. If you plan on storing the plants, be certain they are completely dry or they will mold.
:Mint
Mint is refreshing and has many medicinal qualities. Crush a few fresh or dried leaves and add hot water. Let steep for a few minutes, then add honey or drink plain. Drink hot or pour it over ice for a refreshing iced tea. Medical News Today celebrates mint for its abundant antioxidants. Another article on Organic Facts states that mint aids digestion and stomach discomfort, reduces fevers, and has a multitude of other uses.
Mentha arvensis, or wild mint flowers are seen here. Mint leaves are used an antioxidant used to aid digestion.
:Rose Hips
According to Herb Wisdom, rose hips contain 50 percent more vitamin C than an orange, and enough vitamin A to heal scars from acne and burns, and are believed to prevent cancer and heart disease. A few weeks after the petals have fallen off the rose, a tart, round fruit, appears. Nibble them right from a wild rosebush or crush and boil them, then strain them for tea.
Rose hips grow after the last leave falls from the rose. The best fruit comes from the wild white flowers, but it all can be used.
:Echinacea
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, recognizes the use of echinacea. An article on their website states, “the Kiowa chewed ground roots for coughs and sore throats, the Cheyenne chewed roots for colds or took infusions of leaves and roots for sore mouth and throat, and the Choctaw made a tincture of it as a cough remedy.”
Many tribes also chew the root to alleviate toothaches and infections. Seymour called echinacea an immune system stimulant, and suggested using the leaves and petals for tea, so the plant’s root is preserved. “Wait until September. That is when the plant is at its most powerful. Pick a few leaves and a few petals, and air dry them in a large basket. When they are good and dry, put them in a jar. When I want some echinacea tea, I use a teaspoon of the dried stuff. Just add boiling water,” Seymour said.
:Raspberry
Raspberry leaves are known to sooth some of the discomforts of pregnancy and menstruation. Boil crumbled, fresh leaves when the plant is flowering, or dry them and store them for the winter. The tea is plain, so add some mint and raspberries for flavor.
Katsi Cook, Mohawk, of the Indigenous Women’s Network, said raspberries and leaves are rich in iron and contain phosphorus, potassium, magnesium—all of which assist in organ health, and in particular, women’s reproductive organs. During labor and after childbirth, raspberry tea eases contractions and reduces the chance of hemorrhage. Raspberry tea also enriches a mother’s milk supply. Mix the leaves with mint and add honey for flavor.
Raspberry leaves are known to sooth some of the discomforts of pregnancy and menstruation. The berries are tasty too.
:Mullein
Mullein grows beside railroad tracks and in parking lots. The plant has soft, furred leaves with a tall spike. Small yellow flowers grow on the spike in an irregular pattern. “It can grow taller than a person; the flower stalk is maybe 10 inches long and is never completely filled with flowers,” Seymour said. When dried, the leaves can be smoked as a tobacco substitute. The little yellow flowers can be soaked in a jar with olive oil, and stored in a dark place for at least a month or two. Seymour swears that four or five drops of the oil in an ear will cure an earache. The leaves can be used as a bandage, and the dried crushed flowers can be taken as a tea to treat a cold or cough, or to help fall asleep. This one may be more medicinal than flavorful.
Mullein is a tall spiky plant that grows in abandoned lots and along train tracks, but it has many health benefits.
:Clover
Both red clover, which runs from pink to purple, and white clover are nutritious, if bland as a tea.  Add some mint for more flavor. Herb Wisdom states that red clover shares characteristics with raspberry for women’s health, but it is also thought to be helpful in reducing the chance of developing prostate problems. Clover is also believed to act as a blood thinner. To brew it, pick a few of the flowers and pour boiling water over them. Let it steep for a few minutes. The purple flowers and leaves can be dried and stored for winter teas, Seymour said.
Red clover is more pink to purple, but both the white and red are highly nutritious. Be careful to only pick them where there has been no chemicals used.
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'''Natural Herbs To Treat Menopausal Symptoms'''
*Source:http://www.boldsky.com/health/disorders-cure/2016/natural-herbs-to-treat-menopausal-symptoms-108087.html
:(Bold Sky)
Many women have been found to treat their menopausal symptoms with hormone replacement therapy. However, since this has many side effects, it is recommended to go for natural herbs to treat the sympto
As women approach menopause, the warning signals set in - irregular periods, night sweating, hot flushes and emotional issues like irritability and low sexual drive. Conventional hormone replacement therapies have generally been proven to provide only short term respite from menopausal symptoms. Hormone replacement therapies have also been found to often increase the prevalence of heart attacks, strokes as well as breast cancer. However, there is nothing to worry as certain herbs and supplements have proved to work wonders in this case.
Certain naturally derived herbal and botanical infusions have been proven to provide the same advantages as bodily hormone replacement therapies. Black cohosh extract has been found to boost levels of energy and reduce hot flushes. Botanical infusions work harmoniously as a menopausal remedy to support the body's hormones, as opposed to a relatively invasive hormone replacement therapy treatment. Soybean isoflavone proteins have been found to alleviate hot flushes.
Chaste Berry provides mild pain relief, especially to targeted menopausal pain like breast tenderness and edema. Red clover extract has been shown to possess properties comparable to hormone replacement therapy's low levels of oestrogen and so can help to alleviate night perspiration and in addition acts as a sleeplessness aid. Concerning the psychological after effects of menopause, wild yam root promotes production of sex bodily hormone binding globulin and serum oestrogen, reducing vaginal dryness, and additionally boosting a low sexual drive.
Green tea leaf extract boosts the immunity system and acts as a strong anti-oxidant, but additionally works with guggul gum resin to stimulate thyroid exercise, helping to quell excess appetite cravings. The inclusion of calcium promotes positive bone tissue health to prevent osteoporosis.
These all natural, herbal extracts are a promising change as these provide relief without causing any side effects. These are available in the form of supplements and have proved very useful in treating menopausal symptoms.
Read more at: http://www.boldsky.com/health/disorders-cure/2016/natural-herbs-to-treat-menopausal-symptoms-108087.html
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'''Red clover eases menopausal discomfort'''
*Source:http://sciencenordic.com/red-clover-eases-menopausal-discomfort
:By Sybille Hildebrandt
Women who take red clover extracts every day experience fewer hot flashes and hormonal fluctuations and less osteoporosis than those who receive no treatment.
Hot flashes, palpitation and poor sleep.
Many of the discomforts plaguing menopausal women can be significantly reduced with a daily intake of red clover extract, say Danish researchers.
“On average, the women who received the extract had the frequency of hot flashes reduced by a third. And the hot flashes they did experience were significantly less intense, so they felt better during the day and could sleep properly at night. Last, but not least, the women’s hormonal levels and their loss of bone mass became stabilised,” reports Associate Professor, PhD, Per Bendix Jeppesen, who headed a new, as-yet-unpublished study at the Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital.
No major side effects
The researchers report the following results:
:• The three-month treatment led to a 32-percent reduction in hot flashes and those that did occur were less severe. This is an average figure, i.e. some of the women had a 60-percent reduction, while others only had a 20-percent reduction.
:• The women who took the red clover extract experienced a slowdown of bone loss, while those who took the placebo displayed significant bone loss.
:• The women’s oestrogens were better balanced, and that triggered fewer hot flashes.
:• In contrast to women treated with human oestrogens, the women in this study did not complain about side effects of their treatment. Whereas women treated with human oestrogens may have fever and flu symptoms, the only discomfort associated with the red clover extract is that it doesn’t taste very good.
:Study initiated by local farmer
The idea for the study came when the researchers received a phone call in 2010 from a Danish farmer, Michael Mohr Jensen, who as part of his work was developing a variety of supplements from his crops.
With the help of a local phytotherapist, Jensen saw an opportunity to help menopausal women with a natural alternative to the human oestrogens. One of these supplements was red clover, which is rich in oestrogen-like substances known as isoflavones.
''On average, the women who received the extract had the frequency of hot flashes reduced by a third. And the hot flashes they did experience were significantly less intense, so they felt better during the day and could sleep properly at night. Last, but not least, the women’s hormonal levels and their loss of bone mass became stabilised. - Per Bendix Jeppesen''
: Extract tested in randomised controlled trials
While this was taking place, Jeppesen and colleagues started recruiting women for their study. They managed to track down 60 women who were badly affected by menopause.
:Facts
Seventy-five percent of all women experience discomfort due to menopause. All these problems are caused by a dip in the production of oestrogen, in particular.
The discomfort varies from person to person, and there is a great difference in when they start. For some women it starts around the age of 45, and for others it doesn’t kick in until they are 55 or 60.
The women were divided randomly into two groups, one of which was treated with the red clover extract while the other received a placebo extract.
After three months of drinking 75 ml of extract twice daily, the women were tested again. The researchers measured whether the red clover extract had changed the frequency and the intensity of the hot flashes. They also checked for changes in the women’s hormone balance and bone density.
:Wristwatch counted hot flashes
Before the treatment started, the levels of FSH (Follicle-Stimulating-Hormone) in the women’s blood were measured, which revealed exactly how far along they were in their menopause.
This enabled the researchers to figure out whether the frequency of hot flashes would change if they did not receive the clover extract.
The women were fitted with the latest sensor technology on their wrists for a whole day before and after the three-month treatment. The sensor established how often the women experienced hot flashes and how severe each of the flashes were, even at night.
The effect of the extract on the bones was measured by scanning the back and the hips, which are typically affected by osteoporosis during menopause. The scans revealed the density of the bones, which the researchers used to determine whether the bones degraded during the three-month period.
:Facts
Seventy-five percent of all types of medical drugs originate from plants. An example of such a drug is Metformin, the active substance of which comes from the Galega plant.
Only a relatively small share of all plants has been examined for bioactive components that have health-promoting effects. So there is probably a lot of potential left out there.
The new findings look so promising that Jeppesen and his colleagues have already started planning a more comprehensive study based on a larger sample of women, who will be monitored over time.
The researchers are hoping to develop a treatment with red clover extract that can actually boost bone formation in the women.
They are currently putting the finishing touches on a scientific article, which will soon be submitted for peer review for publication in a scientific journal.
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'''Progesterone in botanicals could aid women's health '''
*Source:https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-06/uoia-pib062816.php
:(University of Illinois at Chicago)
The University of Illinois at Chicago has received a five-year, $1.225 million federal grant to discover progesterone-like compounds from commonly consumed botanicals and learn how the hormones can aid women's health.
Whether contained in birth control pills or emergency contraception, treatments for endometriosis or fibroids, or as hormone replacement therapy, progesterone will be taken by almost all women at some point in their lives. The hormone plays important roles in the menstrual cycle and in maintaining the early stages of pregnancy. But little is known about progesterone-like compounds in plants.
Women are becoming increasingly dependent upon botanical extracts for the alleviation of menopausal symptoms and for women's health issues in general, said Joanna Burdette, associate professor of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy, who along with Brian Murphy, assistant professor of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy, serve as co-investigators on the project.
"The biomedical purposes that progesterone can be used for are vast," Burdette said. An estimated $13.7 million is spent annually by Americans on alternative products, including women's health related supplements.
About 10 botanicals -- hops, red clover, dogwood and wild yam, among others -- have been selected by Burdette and Murphy to study. The list contains botanicals that women commonly use and that have been previously screened at the UIC/NIH Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements Research.
"Reports on the ability of botanicals to modify progesterone receptor signaling is sparse and practically unavailable despite the impact this could have on women's health," Murphy said.
The research will provide information for women to make better decisions about self-medicating and will improve safety by allowing them to understand if they are exposing themselves to progestins alone or in a combination with estrogen-like molecules, Burdette said.
The grant is funded by the National Institute of Health's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
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'''Some natural treatments may actually help with menopause symptoms'''
'''Some natural treatments may actually help with menopause symptoms'''
*Source:https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/some-natural-treatments-may-actually-help-with-menopause-symptoms/2016/07/08/0bac7806-4457-11e6-8856-f26de2537a9d_story.html
*Source:https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/some-natural-treatments-may-actually-help-with-menopause-symptoms/2016/07/08/0bac7806-4457-11e6-8856-f26de2537a9d_story.html
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A use for red clover that might be popular during final exams was suggested by an early 19th century practitioner in "Ellingwood's Therapeutist" who found red clover to have "a peculiar influence in improving the nutrition to the brain when impaired by overwork, especially in those cases when there is loss of memory for words, confused ideas, or other mental defects from functional causes." If this is you, you better write it down.
A use for red clover that might be popular during final exams was suggested by an early 19th century practitioner in "Ellingwood's Therapeutist" who found red clover to have "a peculiar influence in improving the nutrition to the brain when impaired by overwork, especially in those cases when there is loss of memory for words, confused ideas, or other mental defects from functional causes." If this is you, you better write it down.


 
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'''The Benefits of and Uses for Red Clover'''
'''The Benefits of and Uses for Red Clover'''
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