DITTANY OF CRETE TEA
This batch of Dittany of Crete tea was recently harvested and shipped to us directly from Greece.
Ancient Minoans left evidence of using dittany as early as 2700BC – 1100BC. Many ancient Greek physicians including Hippocrates spread its popularity to other Greek lands. Hippocrates is responsible for quoting “let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. In other words, what you put in your body directly affects your health in the long run.
In Ancient Greece, the herb was dedicated to Eilithia, goddess of fertility and childbirth.
One of the most famous examples that lead to the acknowledgment of the herbs healing properties was observing the mountain goats. To extract the poisonous arrows from their bodies and heal the wounds, goats would eat dittany in large quantities.
Virgil relates this bit of lore in the Aeneid Book XII when the goddess Venus heals the wounded hero with the plant:
“A branch of healing dittany she brought,
Which in the Cretan fields with care she sought:
Rough is the stem, which woolly leafs surround;
The leafs with flow’rs, the flow’rs with purple crown’d”
Hereupon Venus, smitten by her son’s cruel pain, with a mother’s care plucks from Cretan Ida a dittany stalk, clothed with downy leaves and purple flowers; not unknown is that herb to wild goats, when winged arrows have lodged in their flanks.
From Virgil’s Aeneid
The belief in Dittany as healing and painkiller that the ancients had, was first mentioned by Aristotle. Even the Cretan goddess of childbirth, Elythia, wore a wreath from Dittany that shows the relationship between the plant and childbirth as mentioned by Euripides at “Hippolytus”.
The properties of this plant are many and research on them continues even today. One of the latest scientific results on studying Cretan herbs’ properties is Cretan Iama. Cretan Iama is a natural formulation, based on traditional Cretan herbs that contributes to the strengthening of the human body, including dittany.
It is used for digestive tract disorders including cramps, stomach problems, and worms in the intestines. It is also used for urinary tract and genital tract disorders.
A beverage of this herb relieves headaches and neuralgia. Other uses include treatment of epilepsy, spasms, fluid retention, and liver diseases.
The “father of modern medicine”, the Greek Hippocrates, prescribed the herb as a panacea, especially good for digestive complaints and healing wounds.
Properties - Dittany is a healing herb. It also goes by the nickname “stomachohorto” which literally translates to “stomach herb” due to its use in treating stomach aches and digestive issues. Another variation is “stamatohorto” where “stamato” means “to stop” and the entire phrase translates to something along the lines of “the stopping herb”.
Please consult with your doctor before attempting to diagnose and heal yourself at home. There may be more serious illness at hand than you would know of.
Medicinal:
- Pregnant women should not consume these herbs.
- Rheumatism
- Arthritis
- Spasms, convulsions, and cramps (including menstrual cramps)
- Stop bleeding
- Poor circulation
- Coughs, colds, flu, and sore throats
- Anti-aging
- Inflammation
- Fight bad breath and gingivitis (by chewing the leaves)
- Toothaches (by chewing the leaves)
- Snake bites
- Back pain associated with the sciatic nerve (especially the dittany root)
- Diabetes
- Weight loss
- Aphrodisiac
- Anti-bacterial
- Fungicide
- Soothe stomach and intestine
- Wound and abscess healing
Directions:
- Put one tea spoon of Dittany leaves directly in the bottom of a ceramic tea cup
- Add boiling water and let it steep for 3 minutes
- Cover your tea cup with a small plate in order to keep all smell and therapeutic benefits inside
- Strain and serve with honey and some lemon juice drops
- Enjoy it hot or cold
Drink 2 to 3 cups a day.
Try adding honey or lemon to sweeten your tea, as desired. Limit use to short periods and consult your doctor if your cough lasts longer than a week.
Cautions:
Not enough is known about the use of dittany during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
