Get cosy this Autumn with nourishing herbs

At the nights draw in, it is time to look for some comfort in nature says MIRANDA TRINGIS

The shorter days and cooler evenings, and even some rain, invite us to spend more time cocooning indoors at home. This is a wonderful time of the year to go inward, just like Mother Nature does. When the leaves start to fall, the energies of trees and plants move downward into the roots. This is the time when roots are harvested for medicine and nourishment, as they will contain more healing properties than at any other time of the year.

In Cyprus, we harvest angelica roots (Angelica Archangelica) from the mountains, where this plant grows in abundance near streams of water. Angelica root has been used medicinally since the 10^th century and is a very effective remedy for microbial and viral infections, such as coughs and colds, bronchitis and asthma. As a hot tea, it soothes the throat and helps to lower fever. It is also used as a digestive and to relieve menstrual cramps.

Another amazing root to use especially now at the turning of the seasons is Liquorice (Glykirrhiza Glabra). Liquorice is sweeter than sugar and wonderfully soothes the throat, making it the go-to herb to treat dry cough. Liquorice is an adaptogen, which means it helps your body respond to stress, anxiety and fatigue, bringing the body back into balance. You can add some liquorice root to any medicinal teas that don’t have a very nice taste to make them more palatable and reap the benefits of this delicious herb at the same time.

This is also the time of year to pick hawthorn berries (Crataegus Azarolus). Known in Cyprus as Mosphilo, they can be used to make the amazing mosphilo jelly, which is not only the mother of all jams, but retains all the wonderful medicine that hawthorn has to offer. All parts of the Hawthorn tree have healing properties, particularly for the heart, and is packed with antioxidants, which combat free radicals and contribute to general overall health.

This plant is a member of the rose family, which has an affinity for the heart, both physical and spiritual. Hawthorn is known to help heal a broken heart, either as a tea made from the leaves or flowers, or as a tincture made from the berries. Whichever way hawthorn is consumed, it helps to strengthen the heart and veins, improve circulation, regulate blood pressure and normalise an irregular heartbeat. It is also effective in lowering cholesterol. With all these benefits, it is certainly worth a trip into nature to pick some berries and leaves!

Autumn is, of course, also pumpkin season, and this delicious vegetable is celebrated all over the world this time of year, during pumpkin festivals leading up to Halloween. At Cyherbia throughout October 2,000 pumpkins are carved into Jack O’ Lanterns each year! When you carve your pumpkin or make pumpkin pie, don’t throw out the seeds, as they have numerous health benefits. One handful of pumpkin seeds can supply up to 40 per cent of the daily recommended amount of magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron, zinc and copper, making these a true powerhouse of health. Daily consumption of pumpkin seeds also benefits the prostate and helps to protect against prostate hyperplasia.

An increasingly popular trend in herbal teas is pumpkin tea. The recipe for this blend doesn’t actually contain any pumpkin, but you can surely add some grated pumpkin flesh to it, as pumpkin is rich in vitamins A, B and C, as well as the minerals mentioned above in the seeds. This warming tea has South African Rooibos (Aspalathus Linearis) as a base, which gives it a beautiful orange colour and contains no caffeine. Then simply add a crushed cinnamon stick, one crushed clove, and a slice of fresh ginger. Not only will this tea give that warm, fuzzy feeling of having a blanket in your cup, both rooibos and the spices are helpful in soothing the throat and the digestive system, boosting natural immunity, as well as contributing to heart health and lowering blood sugar levels. These spices, too, are rich in antioxidants, minerals and micronutrients.

Now is the season for cosy evenings at home after a day of foraging leaves, berries and roots in this island’s bountiful countryside. With the rich aromas of tea, spices and pumpkin, you will want Autumn to last forever.