Rabbit Tobacco

     Sometimes the plants just speak to you. Not like we speak to each other, but with different means. You might find yourself attracted to a plant for no known reason, you may notice a plant that you've never noticed before, or you may just think a certain plant is pretty or cute. There's an herb that grows in my yard, and on quite a few trails here in Central Florida. My husband is completely enthralled with this herb. It was the first herb that he learned to identify in the wild, and every time he sees it he gets so excited. It's rather adorable. But for some reason, I had never thought to find out what it's medicinal uses could be. Once I did look it up, I found that it's almost the perfect herb for my husband who grew out of childhood asthma just to have a different set of breathing problems as an adult, and who has a tendency to work himself so hard that he has major muscle cramps.

     Rabbit Tobacco, Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium, is also known as Sweet Everlasting because of it's sweet smell and the fact that even after the plant is dead, the seed heads remain on the stalk and look like little white flowers, so that it appears to be alive even after it's dead. There is a whole group of herbs that are considered the “everlastings,” and they are used all over the world for various things. From pillow and mattress stuffing to medicine. Here in America, it has mainly been used by the Native American tribes of the South East, and has become a Southern Folk Medicine for a great variety of ailments. But what's with it's other name?

     There are two explanations for the name “Rabbit Tobacco” from Native American traditions. In one story, rabbit discovered how wonderful this herb was for wounds when it became tangled up in a briar patch. As all native people know, rabbit skin is super thin and easy to tear, even just when running away from a predator. So finding such a useful herb was very good and important for rabbit. This story explains some of the medicinal uses of the plant, and some of it's connection to rabbits, but it does not explain the “tobacco” part of it's common name. However a Native American observation does explain this. Long ago, Native Americans noticed that rabbits would congregate around where these plants tend to grow. So this must mean that it was their connection to the Creator, just like Tobacco is the Native American connection to the Creator. So the plant was deemed Rabbit Tobacco.

     I found a great video that might help anyone who wants to be able to identify this plant. It may also provide a good introduction to the beautiful world of Rabbit Tobacco.

Medicinal Uses:

Common Names- Rabbit Tobacco, Sweet Everlasting, Cudweed, Old Field Balsam, Sweet White Balsam, Indian Posy, Life of Man, Poverty Weed, Fussy Gussy

Parts Used- The whole plant.

Summary of Actions- Anaphrodisiac, Antiphlogistic, Antispasmodic, Astringent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Expectorant, Sedative, Vermifuge.

Upper Respiratory- Used internally, as a tea, to treat most chest complaints, especially those involving mucus in the chest. The tea also helps to sooth throat ulcers. You can also burn the leaves, as incense, and waft the smoke into your face. This is done to help treat symptoms of asthma. An alternative to this is to boil some water and add Rabbit Tobacco leaves to the boiling water. Cover your head with a towel and put your head over the boiling water. Breath in the steam to help ease your asthma symptoms or to help clear up congestion.

Smoke It!- Aside from burning Rabbit Tobacco as incense, it's also used in several smoking blends, along with other herbs. Most of these help people who are trying to stop smoking cigarettes, but often these blends can also help alleviate symptoms of asthma and clear chest congestion. The smoke is not harmful to the lungs, but if you're worried about the heat of the smoke being too warm, feel free to burn the leaves as incense and waft the smoke into your face. This makes sure the smoke is much cooler when it gets to your lungs.

Digestive- A tea made from the leaves is slightly bitter in taste. Anything that tastes bitter is going to help with your digestion. The bitter flavor helps to release bile into your digestive tract. The bile helps to break down hard to digest foods. This helps prevent flatulence, ease stomach aches, and improves nutrient absorption. Rabbit Tobacco, specifically, is also an antispasmodic and diuretic, helping to ease intestinal cramps and improve kidney function. This herb is often called upon when digestive issues involve cramps or spasms.

Skin and Wound Care- Native Americans of Virginia have used Rabbit Tobacco as a wound herb for a long time.

Muscle Cramps and Twitching- Rabbit Tobacco is great to add to a bath for muscle cramps and spasms. It's also great to use in a sweat lodge or sauna, for the same symptoms as well as fevers. It also makes a great fomentation for sprains and bruises.

Sleep Pillows and Sedative Effect- Rabbit Tobacco is a traditional stuffing for mattresses, cushions, and pillows. It works especially well in a sleep pillow because it has a slight sedative effect. Sleeping on a sleep pillow stuffed with Rabbit Tobacco can help ease you into a calm, fulfilling sleep. A sleep pillow made from Rabbit Tobacco is also a traditional remedy for those who suffer from “consumption,” or tuberculosis.

Aphrodisiac or Anaphrodisiac?- Some sources list fresh Rabbit Tobacco juice as a mild aphrodisiac, but even more sources list it as an anaphrodisiac, having the opposite effect. However, those sources that consider it an aphrodisiac tend to use it specifically in cases of impotence, so maybe it only works as an aphrodisiac in those cases.

Contraindications and Warnings- None known, though several people avoid the use of this herb for various reasons.

I only included a basic introduction to this amazing herb. I hope you have learned a new appreciation for how beautiful Rabbit Tobacco is. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.

Refrences:

A Few Late Summer (Possibly Underappreciated) Plants: Elephantopus: https://bandoteam.wordpress.com/tag/elephantopus/

An Engaging Herb, Rabbit Tobacco: The Annotated Flora: http://www.ibiblio.org/carrborocitizen/flora/2009/11/an-engaging-herb-rabbit-tobacco/

An Intuitive Study of Rabbit Tobacco: Rabbit Tobacco: http://www.rabbittobacco.com/gnaphalium.html

Helpful Herbs & Plants with a Purpose- Rabbit Tobacco: Steemit: https://steemit.com/nature/@papa-pepper/helpful-herbs-and-plants-with-a-purpose-rabbit-tobacco

Plant Database: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PSOB3

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Go Botany, New England Wild Plants: https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/pseudognaphalium/obtusifolium/

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium: Plants for a Future: https://www.pfaf.org/USER/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Pseudognaphalium+obtusifolium

Rabbit Tobacco, Everlasting: Alternative Nature Online Herbal: https://altnature.com/gallery/rabbit_tobacco.htm

Sweet Everlasting (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium): Identify That Plant: http://identifythatplant.com/sweet-everlasting-pseudognaphalium-obtusifolium/

Sweet Everlasting: Illinois Wildflowers: http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/sw_everlasting.htm

Sweet Everlasting: Prairie Moon Nursery: https://www.prairiemoon.com/gnaphalium-obtusifolium-sweet-everlasting-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Raspberry Leaves

     Have you ever picked up a fruit or vegetable in the grocery store and wondered what the rest of the plant looks like? Or how about if the rest of the plant is edible or useful in some way? I do this quite frequently, though I'll admit that I'm strange. When I remember these questions and do a bit of research, I often wonder why we never use the rest of the plant. For instance, each and every part of a banana tree is edible, beet greens are every bit as nutritious as spinach, carrot leaves are super tasty, and raspberry leaves are one of the best things a woman can add into her diet.

     Raspberries are members of the rose family, rosacea. There are two commonly used for their leaves, Eurasian red raspberry (rubus idaeus) and North American black raspberry (rubus occidentalis). There have been a number of scientific studies done on this herb. Most American studies have used red raspberry, but a number of Chinese studies have branched out and used several different raspberry species. Most of the findings have determined that the berries are delicious and packed full of nutrients and antioxidants, but the leaves contain even more of the active phytochemicals, and so have even more benefits.

Medicinal Uses:

Summary of actions- Astringent, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, emmenagogue, and a slight stimulant.

Traditional Chinese Medicine- In Chinese medicine, raspberry is called Fu Pen Zi or Shan Mei. The primary meridians it works on are the Liver and Kidney meridians. In TCM, the Kidneys rule reproduction, especially in women. This makes a huge amount of sense when you think about how the Kidneys filter our blood, and how blood is such an integral part of the female reproductive cycle. However that leads to raspberry's main uses in TCM. Raspberry stabilizes and tonifies the kidneys, supports Jing, builds both Kidney and Liver Qi, and is typically used for impotence, bed wetting, frequent urination, premature ejaculation, incontinence, to improve eyesight, clear blurred vision, for lower back pain (around the area of the kidneys), infertility, nocturnal emissions, and to stop premature graying.

Highly Nutritious- The berries are known to be extremely nutritious. However the leaves are even more so. They contain huge amounts of Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, and E, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, niacin, and selenium.

Anti-cancer Activity- Several studies have shown that raspberry leaf has major anti-cancer potential in both breast and liver cancers. These same studies show that the leaves are much more potent than the berries.

Pregnancy and Labor- Raspberry is a great help in dealing with morning sickness. Some people attribute this to it's astringent nature, and others attribute this to the high amounts of vitamins and minerals. Either way, it works.

Some midwives and herbalists are cautious with it's use in the first trimester (however I have known several women who have used this in the first trimester with no problems), but it's considered safe after the second trimester has begun. Consult with your doctor/midwife/herbalist before adding this to your routine in early pregnancy.

Not only is raspberry great for helping with morning sickness, but it's super nutritious and helps prepare your body for labor. Women and midwives throughout the world credit raspberry leaf for helping shorten their labor, and prevent hardships during labor. It works extremely well with nettles to help reduce the chance of hemorrhage.

Fertility- Raspberry helps to regulate menses, clear the body of toxins, strengthen the uterus, balance female hormones, and prepares the uterus for pregnancy. This can help in conceiving as well as preventing early miscarriages.

Menstrual Help- Raspberry is used often as a uterine tonic. It also helps balance female hormones. These two actions combine to make Raspberry extremely effective in helping women regulate their menstrual cycles. Not only does it help regulate both the timing and the flow, it also helps reduce cramps, PMS, and other negative side effects that come with menses.

Respiratory Infections- Raspberry leaf tea has been used as a gargle, eyewash, and mouthwash when there have been infections in those areas. It's also been used to help knock out several respiratory infections such as pneumonia bronchitis. Just drink 2-3 cups a day during the infection.

Bowels and Leaky Gut- The astringent properties of raspberry leaf help to reduce diarrhea and strengthen the intestines. This helps to prevent and heal leaky gut issues.

Minor Wounds and Varicose Veins- Astringent herbs are great for dealing with wounds. Raspberry has shown to be no exception. Use it as a wound wash to help speed the healing of minor cuts and scrapes. Use it for sunburns and minor burn wounds. It's also great to help heal varicose veins. Just use a strong tea as a wash, and massage towards the heart. It's also great for eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions.

     I hope I have given you a little more to think about while picking out produce in your supermarket, or when deciding to grow your own. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave them below!

References:

3 Raspberry Leaf Benefits for Women: Herbal Academy: https://theherbalacademy.com/3-raspberry-leaf-benefits-for-women/

Raspberry: East West Healing Academy: https://www.eastwesthealingacademy.com/herbs/raspberry/

Raspberry Leaf: Richard Whelan Medical Herbalist: http://www.rjwhelan.co.nz/herbs%20A-Z/raspberry_leaf.html

Raspberry Leaf Benefits: Herb Wisdom: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-raspberry-leaf.html

Raspberry Leaf Herb Profile: Wellness Mama: https://wellnessmama.com/5107/raspberry-leaf-herb-profile/

Raspberry Leaf Tea Benefits: Earths Friends: https://www.earthsfriends.com/raspberry-leaf-tea-benefits/

Red Raspberry: Dr Christopher's Herbal Legacy: http://www.herballegacy.com/Corless_Dosages.html

Red Raspberry: Medicinal Herb Info: http://medicinalherbinfo.org/herbs/RedRaspberry.html