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Stephen Buhner- Sacred the Herbal Healing Beers |
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Monday, 12 November 2007 |
On Beyond the Measuring Cup: A Look At Things Beyond the Usual in Food and Health on www.RadioSandySprings.com on October 11, 2007.
Stephen Harrod Buhner was my guest. He is “an earth poet, and award-winning author of ten books on nature, indigenous cultures, the environment and herbal medicine." He is well known and respected in herbal circles, often teaching around the world.
We talked about his book Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers: The Secrets of Ancient Fermentation.
Fermentation at one time was thought to be a sacred act. The miracle that food started to ferment without anything seemingly being added seemed mysterious and awesome. Women were at first the people in charge of fermentation. It was part of keeping of the home. Herbs were placed in the ferments and became the medicine for the family. In early cookbooks there is always a section on cooking for the sick. From fruits, to grains, to and other herbal plants almost everything is fermented in some part of the world. Fermentation is different from Distillation. Fermentation, if done naturally, produces enzymes as well as the goodness of the ingredients that help with the health of the people who drink the products. Generally, the products are liquid, although fermentation is also used for the preservation of foods, like cabbage in sauerkraut.
Beer is the best known fermented beverage. It has along history in Europe. Early beer was made from all kinds of herbs, but in the 1500's a law was passed which limited it to hops. Hops are a well known sedative and contain hefty doses of estrogenic herbs. The rumor has it that the protestant fathers wanted people to be quiet and sedate and passed the laws that no longer allowed aphrodisiacs to be made into beer. Check out Stephen’s website at www.gainstudies.org
or email him at
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