Herb of the Month: Milky Oats

Milky Oats come into their own across the rolling hills of the Bay Area in May, their tiny  pale green pennants waving at us in sunny spots along the trail.  Later, when the oats become dry, we tend to call this plant oatstraw.  Oatstraw has many similar qualities to Milky Oats -- and yet, medicinally and energetically, there's something special about this herb when its full of white milky sap, as it is right now.    

"Milky Oats' most remarkable actions tend to be seen in exhaustion. It is a profound restorative for the nervous and endocrine systems which are so easily depleted by a stressful lifestyle and bad diet. It's no replacement for proper nutritional therapy but an excellent therapeutic agent for the process of healing. It seems to directly provide a special sort of 'nerve food' for the body, to rebuild the nervous apparatus in a way that is both nutritional and yet more."

 -- Kiva Rose,  

Bear Medicine Herbals

Milky oats are a very helpful nutritive tonic any time there is mental and physical exhaustion as well as common symptoms of exhaustion such as an inability to focus, mood swings, decreased sexual desire, and anxiety.   

Milky Oats: 

Latin Name: Avena sativa

Common Names: Milky Oats, Wild Oats, Catgrass

Taste: Sweet

Actions: Nervous and endocrine resorative, relaxant and stimulant nervine, antispasmodic

   

Avena Dreams Cordial    

2.25c  Milky Oats /  Oatstraw
3c       Brandy, or to cover by 2"
1c       Rose Honey
1/2c    Rose Water

1. Let Oats steep in brandy for one month or one moon-cycle.  

2. Strain out oats and add rose water and honey.

3. Enjoy!

(Recipe courtesy of The Herbal Kitchen by Kami McBride)