*The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only.*
This one is for all my beer lovers out there. Did you know that Hops (Humulus lupulus) can be used for more than making beer? It has medicinal properties that can be used to aid in digestion, act as a sedative, and can help heal topical ailments such as bruises, boils, and inflammation.
First, let's start with identification. Hops belong to the hemp family (Cannabaceae) and are native to Europe, Western Asia, and North America. They are classified as a bine plant which is defined as a plant that uses an entwining stem or flexible shoot for support. The circular climbing action of a bine is carried out by the stem itself. Hops can grow anywhere from 15 to 25 feet in height and they have green opposite lobed leaves. Each leaf has 3-5 lobes with finely toothed edges and pointed tips. One interesting fact about hops is there are two different plants for the male and female, meaning they don't grow on the same plant. The flowering part on the female plant resemble pine cones and are traditionally what you think of when you hear the word "hops" whereas the male plant grows flowers in a loose branching group. The scientific term for this is dioecious which can be defined as of a plant or invertebrate animal having the male and female reproductive organs in separate individuals.
Now, for the part you all have been waiting for. As mentioned above the hop plant has many beneficial uses for what ails you. Let's talk about anxiety first. With today's day and age and all the uncertainty I can imagine a lot of you are anxious and just know that's okay! Fresh hops act as a sedative and if you try a mixture of hop and valerian root (post on valerian root to come soon) before bedtime it will help reduce that anxiety and help with insomnia. If you take 1 quart of boiling water, 1 heaping tablespoon of fresh hops, 1 heaping tablespoon of chopped valerian root and steep on a simmer for five minutes once cooled drink 1 to 1.5 cups of this mixture before bedtime. Hops can also be kept in a muslin bag and placed in your pillow case to help with those sleepless nights. This next benefit is for my ladies out there that struggle with PMS and cramps. Hops act as an antispasmodic and can relieve menstrual cramps and muscle spasms. Since hops are an antispasmodic they assist the bowels with spasming in such cases as IBS and can even relieve bladder spasms for irrital bladder syndrome. For anyone dealing with bruising, boils, and inflammation hops can be made into a poultice and applied directly to the skin.
Before harvesting, using, or applying hops please ensure you don't have any allergic reactions to the plant. As always, if you would like more information or have any questions, please feel free to reach out! Until next time...
Information for this post was obtained from "The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies" by Nicole Apelian, Ph.D and Claude Davis.
*The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only.*
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