Sage Home Remedies

Herb: SAGE Salvia officinalis

Healthy sage plant

Ah, sage! Sage is one of my favorites herbs. In fact, I'm trying to create the new Antique Remedies logo with sage in mind.  I use it a lot, not for cooking, but for tea. Sage can be used for all sorts of home remedies. As soon as I hit my late twenties (yeah, I know, I'm not saying it's old!), my memory started fizzling out. Maybe it's all the hard work I do during the week, but maybe my brain is just on overload! I started drinking my morning green tea with a pinch of sage leaf in it. I don't know if it's just a mind trick or if sage really helped, but I definitely feel more alert and feel like I can recall details when I'm on a conference call at work! Plus, it gives me green tea a bit of a kick, which is nice in the mornings.

Sage plant after your dog has eaten it

Sage is an aromatic herb with a strong taste. Its Latin name contains the word 'Salvia' which comes to mean 'to heal' or 'savior'. Sage is an antiseptic and an immune stimulant. It's really great for stimulating the apetite and is a great digestive remedy, soothing the stomach.

What else can sage be used for?

• Sage Bath: Native Americans used sage in hot baths to soothe shaky, cramped or weak feeling legs. You can also make a poultice and apply it directly to those weary legs. 
• Headache Ease: Try a cup of sage tea to help ease a throbbing head.  Drinking this regularly can also help ward off colds and boost your memory. Bonus!
• Ghostbuster: Do you believe in ghosts? Have some lurking around? Sage was used to prevent nightmares - either burned as an incense or leaves were thrown around on the floor or on the bed to ward off lost spirits. (I actually own a sage 'smudge stick' and burned it in my (100+ year) house when I first moved in - happy to report, no ghost problems) It's not only said to help with ghosts but any kind of bad, negative energy that may be weighting down the atmosphere around you. 
• Throat Gargle: Just like rosemary, sage can be used to treat a sore throat. Brew some sage like you would a tea, let it cool and use it as a gargle in the morning and again at night. It's wise to swallow it when you're finished because of its antiseptic and analgesic qualities. 
• Menopause Sweats: Have the pleasure of going through menopause? Having night sweats? Pour boiling water over 10 large fresh sage leaves or 1.5 teaspoons of dried leaves. Steep for 5 minutes. Let it cool! Do not drink it hot! Drink this three nights in a row, then go to every other night, then three times a week. 
• Teeth Whitener: Rub a sage leaf on your teeth to help get rid of unsightly stains. A warning though, sage leaves have been known to trigger epileptic seizures. Please do not try this remedy if you have a history of seizures. 
• Brunette Hair Color: Like oregano, you can use sage to help color your hair a shade of brown. It happens to also add lift and decrease dandruff. Use 4 tablespoons of sage and use 2 cups of boiled water, steep for 2 hours. If you want it to be stronger add 2 cups of rum or 2 tablespoons of black tea and steep for 4 hours. 

According to some of the books I used to research sage, pregnant women should avoid high quantities of sage. 

References: 

- http://www.herbworld.com/learningherbs/sage.pdf

- Traditional Home Remedies: The Old Farmers Home Library Almanac, Martha White, ISBN 078354868-0

- Herbs (Eyewitness handbook), Lesley Bremness ISBN 1-56458-497-6