The reflection of
British wildflowers in emotions.
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Watercress Rorippa.
Wise
woman.
The perennial watercress
Rorippa Amphibian grows on the margins of lakes and streams. A conspicuous
terminal raceme of golden-yellow flowers rises from the centre of the rosette
of leaves. The peppery taste of the cultivated watercress livens up salads and can be used as a garnish. Watercress is rich in Vitamin A and C,
and a variety of nutrients. The leaves have been used for bladder and kidney
problems.
Throughout the ancient and medieval periods, poor people in
Europe turned to polar healers. The so-called wise
woman possessed knowledge, passed down through generations, of traditional
or folk medicine. She dealt with all kinds of illnesses and conditions,
including childbirth and, in some cases, abortion. Her knowledge and skills
were by not restricted to women’s health. Methods of diagnosis and treatment
were based on the belief that all human life was linked to the rest of
creation. Wise women used many
practical herbal remedies, drawing on plants and the rest of the natural
environment, which they knew well.
Their cures were
often scoffed at. However, more recently the herbal remedies of folk medicine
have been found to include many naturally occurring ingredients that are medically
useful. Modern homeopothy
has developed into a prominent branch of alternative medicine.
Proverb: To every thing there is a season.
