SAGE

Medicinally, it is a virtual cure all.
Sage can be used as an astringent & has antibiotic properties.
For centuries sage has been used by lactating mothers to dry up the milk supply when weaning a baby.
Sage is said to clear the mind & improve memory.
Stops bleeding of wounds & clean old ulcers & sores.
Will expel worms.
Good for spermatorrhea.
Also for liver & kidney troubles.
Sage is highly effective for relieving sore throat.
Sage can be used as a treatment for excessive sweating. It has weak estrogenic properties, which may explain why it has been used to relieve night sweats associated with menopause. 
Sage has been used to aid digestion, to stimulate digestive enzymes & to alleviate intestinal cramping.
Sage exhibits antibacterial activity, which may explain its use for gastroenteritis or for other minor GI tract infections.
Sage is a superb aid in the digestion of rich, fatty meat.
It also helps lowers cholesterol levels & is a bitter tonic for the liver.
It is an excellent herb for rebuilding vitality & strength during long-term illness.
Sage tea is a warming, bracing drink, nice mixed with mint or rosemary & lemon balm for a tasty stress reliever.
Sage is a mild hormonal stimulant & can be effective in promoting regular menstruation, offering relief from hot flashes & night sweats.
Sage is also helpful for men who have issues with premature ejaculation or “night emissions”.
It is also an effective remedy for leukorrhea, a common vaginal infection.
Sage seems to work, in part, by “drying” & regulating fluids in the body.
It has been used to mitigate excessive saliva production in those with Parkinson’s disease.
Because of its astringent, antiseptic & relaxing action on the mucous membranes, sage is the classic remedy for inflammation of the mouth, throat & tonsils,laryngitis & tonsillitis.

It improves sluggish digestion & sage tea is excellent for a chronic cough.
Sage tea has long been used as a remedy for ulcerated throat or mouth,often in the form of a gargle,as well as a treatment for coughs & colds.
Bleeding gums can be treated by rubbing teeth & gums with fresh or dried sage leaves.
Chewing sage leaves daily will brighten teeth as will brushing with baking soda every once in a while.

PRECAUTIONS:

The amount of sage consumed as a culinary herb is safe, but avoid larger amounts because of thujones (chemical compounds with specific effects on the brain) present in the essential oil. Do not exceed recommended doses.
Alcohol extracts of sage are higher in thujone than those made with water & should not be used internally for more than 1-2 weeks.
Tincture diluted in water & used as a rinse or gargle is safe. Do not use sage internally during pregnancy.

RECIPES:

Tea:

Steep 1tsp chopped sage in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes.
Strain.
Drink or use as a gargle for sore throat.
Drink a cup before meal times to ease digestion.Sage helps treat stomach & bowel dysfunction & also eases diarrhea.
For back ache wash the affected area with sage tea, as hot as you can handle.

To treat high cholesterol drink an infusion made from 3 cloves of garlic, 2 pinches of lavender & 3 pinches of sage. Add 1 cup of boiling water, cover & leave to steep for 10 minutes.
Drink twice daily.

Good Gargle for a Bad Throat:

It doesn’t taste particularly good, but it works very well.
1 tbsp dried sage leaves
1–2 tbsp salt
1 tsp goldenseal root powder
A pinch of cayenne powder (optional)
 ½ cup apple cider vinegar

Pour ½ cup boiling water over the dried sage. Cover & let steep for 30-45 minutes, then strain.
Add the salt, goldenseal powder & cayenne, if using, to the still-warm tea & stir to dissolve. Stir in the apple cider vinegar.

Gargle a 1-2 tsp of this mix every ½-1 hour.
The longer you can stand to gargle, the better.

BEAUTY:

For the skin wash add 1 tsp of chopped sage leaves to 1 cup of boiling water, cover & leave for 10 minutes.
Strain.
Sage has long been used to battle excessive sweating. A sage infusion can be used as a skin wash or added to bathwater.

MAGIC:

The smoke from burning sage is used to cleanse & purify spaces.

At the witching hour on Halloween, go alone into a garden & without uttering a single word, pick 12 sage leaves—one at each stroke of the clock.
As you pick the 12th leaf at the 12th stroke, the face of your future husband will materialize before you.If a man’s face does not appear to you, this indicates that
you will not marry within the next 12 months. Do not repeat this divination until the following Halloween, otherwise you will invite bad luck!
If a vision of a coffin should appear to you while you are performing this divination, this is said to be an omen of an early death.