MEDICINAL HERBS IN THE MOUNTAINS

On a morning walk over alpine meadows and ridges, far from motor traffic, and even though we may not meet anybody we still do not feel alone, for we are in good company if we are interested in botany. Everywhere we see our friends from the plant world, and although silent, they greet us like old acquaintances. Along the narrow winding path we find a variety of medicinal plants growing, such as St. John’s wort, intermingled with bright goldenrod, whereas not far away on a lonely mountain pasture we see yarrow. Here and there we see a larch, and nearby the orange- colored flowers of arnica. On a narrow path we approach silvery green juniper bushes, in between which the proud foxglove with its purple or yellow flowers raises its head, and not far off, in the midst of dense-growing ferns, we spot the dark blue flowers of monkshood, its deep blue even outshining the sky. We also know it by the name Aeonitum napellus. On the stony ground of the mountainside, iva prefers to grow huddled up alongside boulders flanked by rhododendron. This is the small mountain yarrow from which people who live there make a wholesome liqueur. We too can gather the finely dissected leaves and clusters of white flower heads and prepare our own. For this purpose we steep the fresh herb in alcohol, getting after four weeks a greenish tincture. We filter it through cotton wool, add two thirds of sugar syrup and the fine liqueur is ready. During our walk we may have eaten some leaves and a few flower heads, since this is actually the purest and, at the same time, cheapest natural medicine available for our stomach lining. Its effect is so good that before long we get a pleasant feeling of hunger. This is of special benefit to overtired persons who have lost their appetite. But this inconspicuous little plant has even more good in store for us, because it also stimulates circulation. When veins in the legs begin to show, it is high time to give this mountain herb due honor by taking it, because even with this problem it can prove helpful.