Queen of the Meadow Herb a.k.a. Meadowsweet

 There is an herb in my kitchen collection that is growing in use the more I use it and the more I find out about it. It's gone by many names over the centuries: Meadow Wort, Gravel Root, Queen of the Ditch (because is grows well in rural ditches), Queen of the Prairie, Bride's Wort, Trumpet Weed, Purple Boneset, Joe Pye Weed, Lady of the Meadow . . . But it is most commonly known as Queen of the Meadow or Meadowsweet. 

It is a pretty, weedy-herb that grows in damp ditches and along creeks, rivers, ponds and streams mostly in Great Britain and European countries but it also grows in America in the same sort of areas. If you grow it at home, it prefers a semi-damp, semi-shade area. 

What makes this herb so popular is that you can use the flower AND the stem; once dried, you can use it in a tea/infusion (which is my preferred method), in a tincture or in pill/capsule form (either from your favorite health food market or make your own). 

The other reason Queen of the Meadow is so useful is that it is BOTH a pain reliever (containing Salicylic acid, which aspirin is made from) and it neutralizes stomach acid.

[**NOTE** If you are allergic to aspirin DO NOT use this herb.]

As a pain reliever, Queen of the Meadow is even better than aspirin because, NOT ONLY, does it relieve pain and reduce inflammation ~ much like Turmeric ~ which makes it very effective for arthritis sufferers, but ~ unlike aspirin ~ it does not thin the blood or tear up the lining of your stomach. As a matter of fact, it actually helps to protect the stomach and intestine lining.

Another plus for your tummy is that it reduces the acid level in the stomach ~ helping those of us who suffer from acid reflux (GIRD) and chronic or occasional heartburn ~ PLUS ~ it reduces acidity throughout the body ~ which ALSO helps those with joint stiffness, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Oh, happy day!

And something else ~ Meadowsweet helps to calm diarrhea (even in children), IBS and cystitis cause by a UTI. 

See why my admiration for this little herb is growing by leaps and bounds?

Try it and let me know what you think.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

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