What are Astringent Herbs
Astringents are herbs that tighten and tone soft, swollen, loose or spongy tissues. They arrest excessive mucus secretion, bleeding or draining. Herbs with astringent properties can be recognized by their slightly bitter flavor. In fact, when you eat something and get a puckering, drying sensation in your mouth, you have come into contact with an astringent herb. If you’ve ever eaten a persimmon or an apple that isn’t fully ripe, or if you’ve drunk strong unsweetened green or black tea, you’ve experience the tightening, drying quality of astringents.
This month’s Sunshine Sharing is going to share with you the healing power of astringents and how you can use them for minor injuries, bites and stings, healing your GI tract and reducing excess mucus discharge. It will discuss the power and usage of herbs such as White Oak Bark, Bayberry, Uva Ursi, Yarrow and Raspberry Leaf. Many essential oils also have astringent properties, especially for the skin. Two of my favorite essential oils with astringent properties for the skin are Lemon because it is known to tighten and tone tissues and Rose. Read this month’s issue.