9 Natural remedies for melancholy and anger from a 9th century German nun

Shutterstock

Gelsomino Del Guercio - Matthew Green - published on 05/30/18

They may not be divinely inspired, but they sure are interesting, and may actually work.

St. Hildegard of Bingen — canonized and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 — was a 12th-century abbess, artist, author, composer, mystic, poet, preacher, theologian, and … pharmacist. While the effectiveness of her herbal remedies (based in part on the outdated theory of the four humors) isn’t necessarily proven by science, it’s intriguing to read her prescriptions, some of which coincide with the recommendations of herbal medicine today.

Here are nine natural remedies Hildegard proposed for people suffering from anger or melancholy, as related by Fr. Marcello Stanzione in his book 365 giorni con Santa Ildegarda da Bingen (“365 days with Saint Hildegard of Bingen,” currently available only in Italian).

While we don’t recommend trying these remedies unless you consult with a qualified physician, we hope Hildegard’s ideas inspire you to learn more about what nature can offer in terms of health aids, and that these photos will brighten your mood today.