Venetia Stanley-Smith's Books

The pollen season continues. Until last year, when someone asked if I had hay fever, I could still deny it with a "No, it's not me!" and even convince myself that it wasn't true, managing to suppress the symptoms. But this year, with pollen counts said to be several times higher than usual, I've finally surrendered! My eyes are itchy, my nose is blocked, and I'm sneezing. At this point, I have no choice but to admit, "Yes, I have hay fever."

So, what should I do? I want to avoid medication and injections if possible, saving them as a last resort. This means turning to natural remedies, and herbs immediately came to mind as a countermeasure. Until now, I'd used herbs in cooking or enjoyed them as beverages, but I hadn't thought of them as medicinal plants. However, after reading Venetia Stanley-Smith's book, "Venetia's Herb Diary" (Sekai Bunka Publishing), by the British herb researcher living in Oohara, Kyoto, I thought, "Wow, herbs have so many medicinal properties!" I was just re-evaluating herbs at that very time.

This book not only introduces recipes for herbal teas for colds, digestive support, and hangovers, but also includes instructions for making herbal soaps, lotions, creams, shampoos, hair rinses, toothpaste, dish soap, and insect repellent sprays. Of course, it also features many recipes using herbs in cooking. I never knew herbs had so many uses. Come to think of it, last year when I had indigestion, I made tea from the lemongrass I planted in my garden, and it really helped...

Accustomed to instant results, we find this rather slow...

Discovering Venetia's book and experiencing the effects myself, I had listed "actively incorporating herbs into my life this year" as one of the things I wanted to do. Yet, I kept putting it off with "later, later." Then, around the time my hay fever symptoms started, my regular dentist told me, "This blend of herbs for pollen allergies really works!" which finally prompted me to act. Apparently, three dentists in the clinic had stopped needing medication after drinking the hay fever blend from a specialty herb shop called 'Botanicals'.

So, I decided to stop by the shop on my way home from the dentist. The store displayed a wide variety of herbs blended for different ailments. While individual herbs might be effective, blends are likely more potent. Plus, they are clearly labeled with the conditions they treat, making them easy for beginners to understand and incredibly helpful. "Let's see, the blend for hay fever is called 'Flower Communication.'" It's a blend of seven herbs: peppermint, elderflower, nettle, rosehip, lemon balm, marshmallow, and eyebright. I recall hearing that nettle is effective for hay fever. The other six herbs are likely carefully selected for their pollen-fighting properties as well.

There were also many other blends that made me want to try them, such as those for stiff shoulders, improved concentration, beautiful skin, and boosted metabolism and fat burning. However, this time I decided to purchase a one-month supply of the hay fever blend. Unlike medicine, herbs don't provide immediate effects; they work according to the 28-day cycle of human cell regeneration. The first month is for resetting what's accumulated in the body, the second month is for absorption, and the third month is when you can feel the effects. Accustomed to instant results, we find this rather slow, but this is the natural human cycle and the way of nature.

What surprised me, though, was the number of young men among the customers. They seemed quite knowledgeable, buying the herbs they were looking for. "Wow, young men these days are interested in herbs too~" I found myself strangely impressed.

Now, it's been three weeks since I started drinking the hay fever herb blend three times a day, and I can feel a definite positive effect! My eyes no longer itch, and my sneezing has stopped. The nasal congestion has also significantly eased. I almost feel like the pollen season is over. But looking around, it seems to be in full swing for others, so it must be working. And, whether it's thanks to this herbal tea or not, my face feels better. It seems less puffy and more refreshed... The nettle in the blend is said to have diuretic, detoxifying, blood-building, and blood-purifying properties, so perhaps it's due to those effects? Of course, the other blended herbs are likely working synergistically as well.
Considering how effective it's been in less than a month, I can't wait to see what happens after two or three months! Having tasted the benefits of these herbs, I'm determined to try a beauty-focused herbal blend once my hay fever subsides! I'm full of motivation and anticipation.

※ "Botanicals Style Herbal Tea Perfect Book" (Kawade Shobo Shinsha) is also a recommended book for herb beginners.