If You Need It…
Contributed by Harry
There is a principal in ‘herbology’ that effectively says if you need it, it will appear… even if you don’t realize you need it. We experienced this phenomenon several times on the farm.
This year, the Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) (also known as Gill-over-the-Ground) has REALLY increased its presence in our lawn and in the field up the hillside behind our home. With its square stem and stereotypical flowers, Ground Ivy is definitely a member of the mint family.
So the obvious question is: Why do we need it? What can it be used to treat?
One thing we knew is it has been used as a treatment for cancer. As far as we know, we are healthy in this respect.
Just last week a post was made on Facebook mentioning it was good for tinnitus. After verifying this use in other sources, we tried it. (For definitive identity assistance, you might visit the Identify that Plant site.
Harry has had tinnitus for years… perhaps from hunting as a child with his Dad and Grandpa, perhaps from too many loud rock concerts during his college days… who knows.
Harry’s tinnitus stepped up a notch recently, from the constant high-pitch squeal or whistle to a noise that sounded more like spring peepers chirping… non-stop.
The recommended treatment is to drink a Ground Ivy infusion. An infusion is made by pouring boiling water over an ounce or so of plant material and letting it steep in a sealed container (like a capped Mason jar) for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Then strain the plant matter out and drink a cup or two of the liquid during the day. (Inspection by kittens is NOT required.)
After the first quart of infusion the peepers were silenced. The squeal remains, but slightly diminished(?).
Here’s hoping for further improvement with more infusion! Luckily, the Ground Ivy will be available all summer.