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Natural Living

Greetings. 

I have been a bit tardy with my column of late, mostly due to an overly full life. I now teach aromatherapy at Om Shanti College and this activity takes up a chunk of my spare time. I’ve also been active in my role as regional coordinator for the IAAMA. Little time has been left for other activities.

This month I have decided to write about the herb Andrographis paniculata, commonly known as andrographis. I feel this is the herb topical with the cold and flu season upon those of us who live in the southern hemisphere.   

This month’s recipe is lemon delicious pudding. I was going to do chocolate self-saucing pudding, but the Canberra Times Sunday supplement has included this recipe today. Lemon Delicious is a light dessert, unlike chocolate pudding which is more substantial. Both come under the category of comfort food and are equally yummy for different reasons.

Wishing you many good things
Moonhawk

Andrographis paniculata

Those who are wondering why the image below is of Echinacea, it’s because I don’t have a good image of andrographis, and Echinacea is often prescribed with andrographis.  

This herb has Ayurvedic (Indian) origins Andrographis also appears in the pharmacopeias of China and Korea. It grows in South East Asia, so this is hardly surprising. It is also known as the ‘King of Bitters’, as it has a very bitter taste. Like all bitters it is used as a digestive stimulant.
Andrograpis’s other claim to fame is as an immune stimulant. I think of it as a boot camp for your immune system. It tells your immune cells to get off their sorry little butts and start fighting invading micro-organisms. On a scientific level, this herb will stimulate both specific and non-specific immune responses. If you have a cold or flu, then this is the herb for you. Andrographis can also be taken in low doses to prevent viral infection, although I prefer to use Astragalus for this purpose.  This herb is also antimicrobial, making it useful for prevention and treatment of secondary infections. 
I’ve had a lot of success with prescribing this herb. If it is taken in the early stages of a viral infection, then it generally reduces the severity and duration of a cold or flu. In 2009 during the swine flu crisis I prescribed a lot of andrographis both to treat colds and flu, and to help prevent infection by the various viruses that were around at that time.

As a stimulant of natural killer (NK) cells, andrographis is also thought to have some anti-cancer activity. Research on this is still mostly in-vitro, with limited in-vivo studies. Essentially it works by increasing the body’s ability to fight and/or destroy cancer cells, and increases cancer cell death. Results have been promising, however more research is needed before we all run out and start taking andrographis to prevent or treat cancer.
Andrographis is also a liver herb, in that it has similar properties to silymarin (discussed in an earlier article).
Remember, always consult with a qualified practitioner before taking any herbal supplement.  The NHAA and ATMS both provide lists of accredited practitioners. 

References: 
A Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs by Kerry Bone.
Herbs & Natural Supplements – an evidence based guide by Lesley Braun and Marc Cohen. 

Lemon Delicious Pudding
Citrus are in season during the colder months, so it makes sense to make lemon delicious pudding on a cold winter’s night. It is more of a baked custard than a pudding, so has a lighter texture.
3 eggs
½ cup caster sugar
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon self-raising flour
½ cup lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
Preheat oven to 180c.

Lightly grease a 1.5 litre (6 cup) oven proof dish. A deep one is best.
Separate the eggs. Beat the whites until stiff peaks form, then beat in ¼ cup caster sugar, and beat until the sugar is dissolved. Beat the yolks (separate bowl) with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until thick and creamy. Add finally grated lemon zest. On low speed, slowly add the milk and lemon juice, then the flour.
Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture. I like to use a metal spoon, using a “figure 8” motion. Pour the mix into the baking dish. Place the dish in a pan, and fill the pan with hot water halfway up the side of the dish – this is called a Bain Marie or water bath. It stops the pudding overheating. Bake for 45 minutes or until firm to touch. Remove from the oven, and carefully lift out of the water bath onto a wire wrack. Dust with a little icing sugar and serve with cream. Serves 4-6 depending on how hungry they are.