Continuing last weeks theme of medicinal fynbos, this week has seemingly been an amazingly busy week for most. Maybe its the end of the month looming, that time of the year where parents are juggling kids and extreme work pressure or perhaps we are just filling our lives with too much. Either way, here at Haut Espoir, we want to help, and turned to the Koisan remedies for a calming tea. Our personal favorite is the geel sewejaartjie
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Common name: everlastings, kooigoed
Species of Helichrysum are aromatic perennial herbs or shrublets with densely hairy or woolly leaves and persistent flowerheads. There are 245 species. Two well-known species of this area are H. crispum (illustrated) and H. foetidum or geel sewejaartjie; there are many others.
H. crispum is a sprawling herb up to 600 mm tall with soft, whitish, silky, woolly leaves (ca 35 x 12 mm) that clasp the stem. The creamy white flowerheads (ca 5 mm wide) are densely clustered at the end of branches. Grows in coastal dunes.
A tea made from the leaves has been used as a cure for high blood pressure and heart conditions, kidney ailments and backache; and a cup a day keeps sunblisters away. It calms a racing heart and is said to be effective for coronary thrombosis and hypertension; also for diabetes. The Khoi used it as a calming tea. It is also effective to treat heart ailments in animals.
For pain relief, smoke from burning leaves is inhaled. Leaves are widely used on wounds to prevent infection. H. foetidum, has astringent qualities which draw out the infection. Leaves are aromatic and used in pot pourris and in bedding and pillows. This counts for most Helichrysum species, hence the name kooigoed (bedding).
Now the recipe:
Recipe: For high blood pressure. Two handfuls of branches with leaves of Helichrysum crispum to one litre boiling water. Stand overnight and drink two cups next day (one in the morning and one at night).
