This is the first time but I’m sure it won’t be the last time, that I sit here in the dim light of the aircraft cabin, laptop on my tray table, looking out across the top of the moonlit clouds at 30 something thousand feet as I fly to Melbourne. It’s a town with such history and such a diverse range of people. And not to mention a town which provides inspiration for writing my Druid’s Garden column.

I received a beautiful email from a reader about a parent and a child’s love of herbs, so Rita, in the Druid’s Garden this month, I have written about your favourite herb: Chinese Parsley, Coriandrum Sativum or the herb otherwise known as Coriander.

Coriander was originally found in King Tutankhamen’s Tomb which is odd, as it normally isn’t grown there, indicating that the Egyptians thought it valuable enough to cultivate it! It was also mentioned in the Bible and is native to eastern and southern Europe, although it spread through the world quite fast – for such an old herb! The Chinese used the seeds and boiled roots over 5000 years ago as flavouring.

Historically, Coriander was used to kill and expel worms from the body and prevent vomiting but it’s the medicinal benefits of Coriander that are astounding. The most amazing of which is assisting the body of clearing lead, mercury and aluminum. You would be surprised to discover how many heavy metals that we absorb on a daily basis; from cooking implements to antiperspirants and even snacking on a humble packet of chips! But fear not! Coriander is here.

So here is what you do. Make sure you have ample fresh coriander. Start taking 1 to 2gms per day and bump it up to 3 to 6gms over a few weeks. While you’re doing this, keep drinking 2 litres of water a day and take some lipoic acid and chlorella supplements. Stick to a high fibre diet with raw or unprocessed foods and you will be feeling great in no time!

The theory behind this method is quite simple; the metals attach to the fiber and are then expelledwww.DruidsGardenOnline.com from the body. There is research to suggest that it works over a period of 1 to 2 months.

Coriander is an extremely versatile and useful herb in the kitchen too – not to mention one of the first ever used there, as the history books explain!! Do you find spicy food too hot? Use Coriander to not only add a third dimension to flavour but also to cool it down! With coriander you can use the entire herb, which includes the seeds, the leaves and the roots (I think the latter is where the best flavour comes from). You can also chew on the seeds to sweeten the breath and aid digestion too!

Coriander likes well drained soils and has a tendency to topple over in the wind so it likes to be sheltered!! It’s an annual and only propagates from seed. Without ample water, coriander will go to seed quite quickly, especially if the ambient temperature is high!

Love it or hate it - Coriander is here to stay!!

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