Herb library

Sage

Salvia officinalis

Sage, Salvia officinalis, is a warm, slightly bitter kitchen herb long kept on the shelf for sore throats, heavy sweating, and as a stomach soother. It is used in small amounts as a rinse, tea, or steam in many household remedies.

Traditionally used for.

• •Traditionally used as a gargle or throat wash for scratchy, inflamed throats and hoarseness.
• •Traditionally used as a mouth rinse for mild mouth sores, bad breath, and gum discomfort.
• •A long-standing household remedy for excessive sweating or hot flashes, taken as a gentle tea or used externally as a compress.
• •Traditionally used for mild digestive upsets, such as bloating or an unsettled stomach, drunk as a warm infusion.

Simple preparations.

• •Sage throat gargle: Steep 1 teaspoon dried sage leaves (or 2 teaspoons fresh, chopped) in 1 cup boiling water, cover and let sit 10 minutes, strain and cool to warm. Gargle 2 to 4 times daily, then spit out.
• •Sage tea for digestion or sweating: Use 1 teaspoon dried or 2 teaspoons fresh leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 minutes, strain, and sip up to 2 cups a day, taken between meals.
• •Sage steam or compress for congestion or face steam: Pour 2 cups boiling water over 1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried sage in a bowl, cover head with a towel and inhale steam for 5 to 10 minutes, or soak a clean cloth in the cooled infusion and apply as a warm compress to the face or chest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Cautions.

• !Sage contains thujone in small amounts, avoid large or concentrated doses and do not use internally in high amounts.
• !Avoid giving sage tea to infants and very young children, and do not use honey for children under one year in honey-sweetened preparations.
• !People with epilepsy or a history of seizures should avoid concentrated sage products and check with their doctor before use.
• !If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a chronic health condition, check with your doctor before using sage medicinally.

Often kept beside.