HERBS FROM NATURE

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PHOTO: BERNHARD BERGMANN

Making remedies and body care products from natural substances is another deeply-rooted tradition in the Vulkanland region. Wild herbs and roots have always been used in home remedies. A well-known plant, comfrey, has long been known to contain substances effective for treating minor injuries, but new findings indicate that this plant contains other substances that are less good for the health. So comfrey is only used to a limited extent nowadays. As well as comfrey, yarrow, dandelion, nettles and St John’s wort all make effective home remedies. Many modern studies have confirmed the effectiveness of herbs that have been used for centuries. In earlier times, ash was added to animal fat or lower-quality vegetable oils to make soap. The alkaline in the ash converted fats into salt and glycerine, creating soap. Today instead of ash we use sodium hydroxide, which is highly alkaline and can be used in a targeted way. Precise calculations allow us to use regional oils such as rapeseed or sunflower oil to make wonderful natural soaps that are biodegradable and have a mild cleansing action. Herbalists teach courses, passing on knowledge about how to recognise aromatic, medicinal, wild and tea herbs, what their effects are and how to prepare them. It makes sense to combine the old with the new.

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PHOTO: BERNHARD BERGMANN